BENBERG POWERS WARRIORS TO SWEEP VS. HIGHLAND
March 25, 2026
Ottumwa, IA – The Indian Hills Softball squad ran its season-long winning streak to four games on Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep of Highland Community College (KS). The Warriors took both ends of the twinbill, 10-3 and 11-2.
Indian Hills picked up its second consecutive doubleheader sweep after outscoring the Scotties 21-5. The Warriors pounded out 20 hits, including four home runs and a total of 10 extra base hits.
Sophomore Cassandra Benberg (Green Bay, WI/Pulaski) powered the offense with four total hits on the day, including two home runs in the nightcap. Freshman Kate Hickenbottom (Davenport, IA/Davenport Assumption) added three hits on the afternoon, including the walk-off home run in game two to secure the run-rule shortened victory.
As a team, the Warriors have now outscored their opponents 41-11 during the four-game win streak.
The Warriors struck early and often in the opener vs. Highland, building a 5-0 lead through two frames. Benberg opened the scoring with a run-scoring double in the first before the offense took advantage of six walks in the second inning alone to build an early edge.
Benberg tacked on an RBI single win the fourth for a 7-0 lead. Sophomore Chandler Houselog (Dubuque, IA/Dubuque Hempstead) answered a Highland run in the fifth with an RBI double. Sophomore Emma Scully (West Des Moines, IA/Valley) capped the scoring in the sixth with a two-run home run to center for the eventual 10-3 victory.
Houselog, Madisyn Buysse (Geneseo, IL/Geneseo) and Gabby Lane (East Peoria, IL/East Peoria) joined Benberg with two hits in the opener. Sophomore pitcher Maggie Grant (Onaway, MI/Inland Lakes) picked up the win in the circle, the right-hander’s fourth win in five decisions, while striking out a season-high nine batters.
Benberg proved to be the spark once again in game two with a grand slam in the first inning to set the tone for the Warriors. Highland cut the deficit in half in the third, but a run-scoring extra base hit from Hickenbottom slowed the rally.
Leading 6-2 in the fifth, Benberg delivered her second home run of the game with a three-run shot to deep centerfield. Two batters later, Hickenbottom drove a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for the walk-off winner.
Sophomore Hannah Carter (Bethany, MO/South Harrison) picked up the win in the circle, scattering three hits in 3.0 innings of work. Hickenbottom, who tossed 1.1 innings of perfect relief in the opener, added 2.0 innings of scoreless work in game two for the Warriors. The freshman has allowed just three earned runs over her last 15.2 innings of action in the circle.
Benberg tallied a career-high seven RBI in the win. Over the team’s four-game win streak, Benberg is batting .583 with three home runs and 12 RBI.
Indian Hills is now set to open Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) play with a pair of home doubleheaders at R.L. Hellyer Field this weekend. The Warriors will host Iowa Western Community College for a pair of matchups on Saturday and two more league games vs. Southwestern Community College on Sunday.
