Indians Season Ends By A Single Run
The Oskaloosa Indians season came to an end on Wednesday afternoon in Fort Dodge.
Oskaloosa News thanks our sponsors for making coverage of this game possible. Local Disposal Inc, MidWestOne Bank, Brown’s Heating and Cooling, Mahaska Drug, and Mahaska Communications Group – MCG.
by Jamie Brockman
I’ve always said and heard that softball is a game of inches and little things make big differences. That was never more true than this week in Fort Dodge for the Oskaloosa Softball team.
After the heartbreaking loss Tuesday, we all knew win or lose, Wednesday was the last game of the season. Once again one miscue made the difference as D-C-G beat Oskaloosa 1-0 in the Class 4A Consolation game at the State Softball Tournament.
The Fillies scored the games only run in the top of the first inning on a swinging strike three that would’ve been the end of the inning. However, the ball hit the dirt and got past catcher Meghan Moorman, allowing the batter to reach first and the run to score. Kam O’Brien drew a two-out walk, then Molly Cooney doubled moving her to third, and O’ Brien scored on the past ball third strike.
After being unable to hit the ball from the third inning on in Tuesday’s game, Osky’s bats were hot throughout the consolation game but were unable to score. Oskaloosa had nine hits but stranded all nine runners. Oskaloosa’s best chance to score was in the second inning when Maddie Haines led off with a base hit. Sophia Dykstra bunted her over to second, then Taylor Wills and Kaylee Johnson had back to back base hits. The Indians had the bases loaded with just one out. With Maleah Walker at the plate, the Indians tried a suicide squeeze and just missed as Haines was forced out at home by inches. Osky had another chance with runners at first and second with two outs in the fourth inning but again were unable to push the run across the plate.
At the plate, Taylor Wills and Kaylee Johnson each had two hits. Meghan Moorman, Ashley Kindley, Ava Vandewall, Maddie Haines and Sophia Dykstra each had one hit.
D-C-G scored one run on five hits, committed no errors and stranded eight runners. Oskaloosa was scoreless on nine hits, committed two errors and stranded all nine runners.
Hayle Hacker took the loss pitching seven innings, allowing one run on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Oskaloosa qualified for the State Tournament for the fourth time in the past six years and ends their season at 25-16 overall and were 10-10 in the Little Hawkeye Conference.
The good and the bad is we lose one Senior, Ashley Kindley. The bad is Kindley was a five-year member of the Indians softball team, a great leader and a defensive force at third base. She ended her Osky career getting a base hit in the seventh inning which was Oskaloosa’s final hit of the season. Kindley will attend Simpson College in the Fall and continue her softball career.
The good is everyone else returns next season and Oskaloosa will once again be a contender in the LHC and has a great chance to return to the State Tournament.
All of us at Osky News Live powered by Thunder County KIIC congratulate the team on a great season-ending at the State Tournament.
