Osky Boys Go 3-1 for the Week.
Oskaloosa Indians
Heading into the week, the Oskaloosa Boys baseball team was looking to stay in the thick of the conference race, and they did just that by going 3-1. Their efforts kept them in the top half of the league leaders.
On Monday, Osky traveled to Pella Christian to take on the Eagles. Osky sent Junior TJ Boyle to the mound where he held the Eagles in check for two innings, allowing just 4 hits. The Eagles seemed to have Boyles number and Osky turned to Sr. Nick Rutledge for the remainder of the game. Through the first 4 innings neither team could find a way to put runs on the board.
Oskaloosa busted through the Eagles pitcher in the 5th inning, with Boyle delivering with a huge hit to drive in two runs. Osky added on 5 more runs over the remainder of the game with Rutledge shutting down the PC offense.
Osky came away with a 7-0 win with Boyle leading the team in hitting, having 2 RBI’s. Colton Swanson and So. Joey Sterner also had RBI’s, taking advantage of 6 walks to go with the 5 hits. The Indians stole 8 bases in all, being led by Jr. Logan Lundsford with 3.
Oskaloosa traveled to Grinnell Wednesday night for a Little Hawkeye Conference double header, but from the looks of the first game, they probably wished they would have stayed on the bus. The Indians committed 6 errors to go along with base running mistakes, wild pitches and passed balls. The one bright spot for the Indians in the first game was So. Joey Sterner going 3-3 with a double and RBI.
The Indians fell to the Tigers 10-2.
In the night cap the Indians jumped all over the Tigers starting pitcher for 4 runs in the first inning. That was more than enough for Osky’s starting pitcher Jr. Colton Swanson as he held the Tiger’s in check, allowing only 4 hits, while striking out 3 and giving up 2 earned runs. He turned the ball over to Fr. Peyton Crouse to finish the last 2 1/3 innings, to finish the Tigers off 8-4 for the double header split.
Leading the hitting for the Indians was Sr. Travis Gile with 2 hits and 2 RBI, Jr. Nate Van Veldhuizen with a hit and 2 RBI. A double and RBI for Jr. Colton Swanson and Sr. Nick Rutledge, and an RBI single for Jr. Mitchell Schaffner and So. Joe Sterner.
Friday night, Oskaloosa played host to the Dallas Center Grimes Mustangs in a Little Hawkeye Comference match-up. Sr. Nick Rutledge didn’t have his best stuff, but it was workman like and he kept the Indians in the game throughout.
Pitcher Fr. Peyton Crouse came in, in the 7th inning and shut the door on the Mustangs, getting the DCG hitter to hit into a game ending line drive double play.
Osky and DCG went back and forth throughout the game until late in the game. Jr. Colton Swanson came to bat and drilled a huge home-run over the left center fence for the go ahead run 5-4.
The Indians came away with a 5-4 victory, with Rutledge the winning pitcher.
Throughout the week Osky fought hard and played well through some tough road games. Coach Gingrich said, “we have to clean up on the defensive side of the ball and keep fighting and being aggressive to be successful”.
Osky is now 7-4 overall and 4-3 in conference. The Indians are in action again Monday as they travel to Newton to take on the Cardinals in LHC action.
