Indians Baseball Splits With Tigers
by Jamie Brockman
The Oskaloosa baseball team traveled to Grinnell Wednesday night and came home with a split. The Indians claimed game one 4-1 but dropped the nightcap 3-1.
In game one, Oskaloosa faced Grinnell’s top pitcher Jayden Gibson, who beat them earlier this season but got the best of him this time to earn a big win.
The Indians scored in the first inning on a wild pitch from Gibson. Osky then scored three runs in the second inning as Charlie North, and Kale Bollinger each had big RBI’s. Oskaloosa pitcher Rian Yates kept Grinnell scoreless until the seventh inning when they crossed the plate for the only time.
Oskaloosa scored four runs on six hits and committed no errors. Grinnell scored one run on eight hits and committed two errors. Yates got the win throwing six and one-third innings, allowing one run on eight hits while striking out an impressive 15 batters and walking only three.
Noah Van Veldhuizen pitched the final two outs of the game, allowing no hits or runs struck out one and walked one to close it out.
At the plate, Yates went 1-3, Van Veldhuizen was 1-3, Nic Dykstra was 1-3, Charlie North was 2-3 with an RBI, and Kyle Bollinger was 1-3 with 2 RBI.
In the nightcap, things stayed close until the end as Grinnell took the 3-1 win. Grinnell got on the board first when Jayden Gibson went deep for a solo home run off Noah Van Veldhuizen. Osky tied the game 1-1 in the top of the fifth when Yates grounded into a double play, but a run scored. Grinnell was able to tie the game and score the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to get a 3-1 lead.
Osky had a chance to answer in the top of the seventh. Nik Dykstra flew out to right field, Charlie North drew a walk, Will Schultz popped out in foul territory, Wyatt Krier hit a line drive single and Wes Wilcox, running for North advanced to third, Yates walked giving the Indians bases loaded with two outs, but Tyler Miller popped up to the first baseman, and the game was over.
Noah Van Veldhuizen suffered the loss pitching five and two-thirds innings allowing three runs on three hits while striking out eight and walking four. Wyatt Krier pitched the final one-third inning for the Indians.
Oskaloosa improved to 12-5 overall and 8-4 in Little Hawkeye Conference games.
The Indians have a huge game at home Thursday night when they host DC-G, a contender for the LHC title. Earlier they split a doubleheader at DC-G. DC-G is 7-2 in LHC play while Oskaloosa is 8-4 and an Indian win puts them very much in contention for the conference crown.
