Indian Baseball Dominate Twice to Stay Atop League Standings
Alex DeJong looks to make the play against Newton this past week. (photo by Tasha Janssen)
by Wade Steinlage
The Oskaloosa Indians baseball team took down a pair of Little Hawkeye Conference opponents with ease this past week.
Oskaloosa (8-4, 4-1 LHC) defeated Newton 10-0 (6 innings) Monday and pounded Pella 17-4 (5 innings) Friday. The squad also matched up with Mount Pleasant in non-conference action Tuesday, falling 4-0.
The Indians, who are now #10 in Class 3A, are currently tied with Indianola (and Grinnell) for the LHC lead at 4-1, setting up a huge doubleheader in Indianola Monday against the #5 team in Class 4A.
OHS 10, Newton 0
In a game that witnessed Oskaloosa outhit the Cardinals 12-3 (Newton also had three errors), the hosts scored immediately with a run in the first as Blake Van Veldhuizen’s sacrifice fly brought in Tyler Miller.
The scene was repeated in the third to double the advantage with Van Veldhuizen collecting another RBI, while Tucker Nunnikhoven made it 3-0 with a two-bagger to plate Alex Dejong.
OHS then blew it wide open with a six-run fourth frame, highlighted by a two-run single from Keaton DeKock and a base-clearing double by Nunnikhoven.
Cole Kraber eventually called it a night in the sixth when he singled home Dejong.
Noah Van Veldhuizen paced his crew by going 3-for-4, while Nunnikhoven was 2-for-4 with four RBIs. DeKock and Blake Van Veldhuizen each managed two RBIs. Dejong tallied two hits with three runs scored, and Miller, who also walked twice, touched home plate on two occasions.
Rian Yates cruised to the win, striking out seven in four frames. Dejong (one strikeout) and Kraber (two strikeouts) also worked one inning as part of the combined shutout.
Mount Pleasant 4, OHS 0
The Indians had their three-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Mount Pleasant as the offense fell silent being outhit 5-3.
MP scored three in the third and managed its last run in the fifth. Nunnikhoven topped the maroon and white with a pair of base knocks, while Miller had the other hit and also drew one walk.
Dejong was saddled with the loss, but struck out six batters (one walk) in the opening three frames, while Wyatt Krier had five more strikeouts (two walks) in the other three innings on the mound.
OHS 17, Pella 4
Oskaloosa only held a 10-8 edge in hits and led just 3-1 after three innings, but the floodgates opened in the latter innings due to eight Dutch errors.
The visitors got on the board first with a run in the second; they then tacked on two more in the third. OHS added six more in the fourth to put it on ice, highlighted by a three-run double by Noah Van Veldhuizen. Eight additional tallies were recorded in the fifth as well.
DeKock, Nunnikhoven, and Miller all finished with three hits in the triumph. The Van Veldhuizens contributed the most in the RBI column as Noah had three and Blake had two.
Nine different Indians scored with Miller and Wyatt Schultz topping the team with three runs each. Kraber, Dejong, Nunnikhoven, and Krier also all rounded the pads twice.
Yates tossed three frames with four strikeouts and two walks and then handed the ball off to Noah Van Veldhuizen (3 K, 1 BB) and Kraber (1 K) who both tossed one inning apiece.
