WARRIORS CLOSE OUT TEXAS SWING WITH TWO WINS
February 08, 2026
Waco, TX – The Indian Hills Softballs quad wrapped up its trip to the Lone Star State with two impressive victories on Saturday. The Warriors dropped Hill College (TX) 11-5 in the opener before capping the trip with a 5-1 victory over No. 4 ranked McLennan Community College (TX).
After dropping its first four contests to start the season, Indian Hills battled back to pick up two convincing wins on the final day of the Highlander Games. Sophomore Maggie Grant (Onaway, MI/Inland Lakes) secured both victories in the circle, including a complete game, three-hit victory against host McLennan. The win over the Highlanders is the first in program history for the Warriors.
Indian Hills took care of business in the opener vs. Hill to get in the win column for the first time this season. Hill struck first with a pair of runs in the top half of the first, but the Warriors responded in the bottom half of the opening frame before tacking on three more in the second, including a two-run knock from sophomore Mary-Paige Withers (Le Claire, IA/Pleasant Valley).
Hill evened the contest up with two runs in the third, but the Warriors broke things open with five runs in the bottom of the fourth as freshman Kate Hickenbottom (Davenport, IA/Davenport Assumption) doubled to left for an RBI to spark the offense.
An RBI triple from Withers and a run-scoring double from freshman Madisyn Buysse (Geneseo, IL/Geneseo) added two more runs in the sixth as the Warriors ran away for the victory.
Withers, Hickenbottom, sophomore Chandler Houselog (Dubuque, IA/Dubuque Hempstead), and freshman Bailey Tegeler (Dixon, IL/Dixon) all tallied two base hits in the win for the Warriors. Grant, who came on in relief in the third, allowed just two hits and one earned run with six punchouts to earn the win.
Taking on nationally ranked McLennan for the third time in as many days, the Warriors jumped out to a quick lead with three runs in the top half of the first as Buysse sparked the offense with a run-scoring double.
After a run in the bottom of the first from the Highlanders, Grant took command in the circle and limited the potent offense the rest of the way, blanking McLennan in each of the next six frames.
A sacrifice fly from Sophia Revallo (Metamora, IL/East Peoria) in the fifth and an RBI single from Kaitlyn Taylor (Sterling, IL/Sterling) in the seventh provided a pair of insurance runs as Grant limited the McLennan threat in the final fame to clinch the victory.
The Warriors’ win over No. 4 McLennan was the team’s first victory over a top-five nationally ranked opponent since upending No. 2 Northwest Florida State College on February 24, 2024 and just the third top-five win over the last six seasons.
Buysse finished the southern trip with at least one hit in all six contests while boasting a team-high .476 batting average during the stretch while adding a team-high five RBI and seven runs scored.
The Warriors’ road trip continues with a pair of contests at Murray State College (OK) in Tishomingo, OK on Monday afternoon. The doubleheader gets underway at 11:00 AM.
