Oskaloosa Showing Strength in First Two Weeks
The Oskaloosa Indians Softball Team went 3-0 on Saturday at the Lacey Complex.
by Wade Steinlage
The Oskaloosa Indians softball team broke in its new digs this week with a plethora of wins.
OHS, which owns a ranking of #6 in Class 4A, opened the 2018 campaign with nine wins in its first 10 games.
After decades down the hill, the program is literally and figuratively at the top. The Indians (1-1) are coming off their third trip to state in four seasons last summer and are also playing on a brand new field.
The year started with a 4-3 loss to Albia on Monday, May 21 before defeating Knoxville 6-5 (8 innings) the following night to start OHS’ current nine-game winning streak.
The Indians then won their next three games in run-rule fashion, beating Union 19-4 (3 innings) and West Branch 12-0 (5 innings) two Saturdays ago, while opening Little Hawkeye Conference with a 14-1 triumph over Grinnell (5 innings) this past Wednesday.
Last Thursday, the streak continued with a doubleheader sweep over #14 Dallas Center-Grimes, 4-0 and 10-9. The past week concluded with wins over Lynnville-Sully (5-0), Iowa City Liberty (5-3) and Williamsburg (15-2, 5 innings).
Albia 4, OHS 3
Despite outhitting the Lady Dees 12-7, the Indians failed to come away with the season opener. Albia also committed four errors, but Oskaloosa could not take advantage.
The visitors, who reached the Class 3A state title game last year, got on the board with two runs in the first, but OHS answered right back with two in the bottom half. Albia (#2 in Class 3A) reclaimed the advantage with two more tallies in the third, and once again the hosts answered but only with one run.
OHS continued to trail by one run in the its last at-bats and put full pressure on Albia pitcher and Creighton University commit Jen Lawrence by loading the bases. Unfortunately, the Indians could not put the tying run across in the setback.
Hayle Hacker scattered seven hits in a complete-game effort. She struck out five batters, while walking two.
Ava Vande Wall headed the offense by going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Josie Bunnell was 2-for-5, while Ashley Kindley (one run) and Anna Jones both finished 2-for-4. Taylor Wills drove in one run and also scored once as well.
OHS 6, Knoxville 5
The Indians were comfortably ahead 5-2 after four frames of action, but the Panthers refused to give up and scored twice in the fifth and once more in the seventh to force extra innings.
Oskaloosa, which left 10 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the third and sixth innings, finally put the visitors away in walk-off fashion as Vande Wall plated Bunnell in the eighth.
The offenses took center stage as OHS outhit Knoxville 14-11. Bunnell was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, while Vande Wall was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Wills and Meghan Moorman matched Vande Wall with the pair of base knocks.
Hacker again went the distance in the circle, striking out eight (one walk) for her first win of 2018.
OHS 19, Union 4
Union actually opened the game with two runs in the top of the first, but Oskaloosa blew it wide open with a response of 13 runs in the bottom half. The Indians gave up another two-spot in the second, but again answered big, putting six runs on the board in the bottom half.
Jones, Kindley, Vande Wall, and Moorman all had two hits in the victory, while Jones and Maddie Haines topped the team with three RBIs each. Five other players had two RBIs in the victory.
Faith DeRonde came on in relief of Abby Braundmeier and was unhittable with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of work.
OHS 12, West Branch 0
OHS grabbed the early lead with three runs in the first and then piled it on with a seven-run fifth inning. Haines was 4-for-4 with four RBIs, while Jones had three hits. Moorman, Kindley, and Sophia Dykstra all managed two RBIs each.
West Branch could not touch Hacker as she posted a no-hitter with eight strikeouts and three walks in five innings.
OHS 14, Grinnell 1
The maroon and white took advantage of poor Tiger defense (three errors in the first inning) to explode for seven runs in their first at-bats of the contest. Every batter in the starting lineup recorded at least one base knock (13 total) with Bunnell, Jones, and Dykstra all finishing with a pair of hits.
Haines hit a home run and drove in three runs, while Wills had three RBIs as well.
Hacker matched her strikeout total from the game prior (8), while also walking two and permitting four walks.
OHS 4, Dallas Center-Grimes 0
Hacker was at top form in the opener against the Fillies, striking out three (no walks) in a two-hit shutout.
The offense supplied just enough offense, scoring twice in the second and then tacking on two more insurance runs in the sixth frame. Dykstra headlined the offense with a 2-for-3 effort, including a double. She batted in two of her teammates and also scored once herself. Kaylee Johnson left the park with a two-run shot as well.
OHS 10, Dallas Center-Grimes 9
The nightcap provided much more drama with the Indians winning on a walk-off hit.
Oskaloosa plated six runs in the first and appeared well on its way to the easy sweep, but DC-G did not give up. The visitors scored four times in the second and four more times in the fourth to lead 8-7. OHS knotted the score at 8-8 after five frames and then 9-9 after six and eventually wrapped it up in the bottom of the seventh.
The game, which featured three ties and two lead changes, probably should not have even been close as the Indians outhit the Fillies 19-9. Moorman was 4-for-4, while Bunnell and Hacker (two doubles) each tallied three hits. Haines, who powered a homer, and Johnson reached base via hit twice as well.
Lauren Coon scored three times and stole two bases as a pinchrunner, while Haines managed two runs and two RBIs. Johnson drove in a pair of runs and Wills posted a pair of base thefts in the victory.
Hacker relieved DeRonde and delivered four solid innings out of the bullpen to claim the second win of the evening. The freshman struck out two, walked one, and allowed just two runs on three hits.
OHS 5, Lynnville-Sully 0
Stats not available at print time.
OHS 5, Iowa City Liberty 3
Stats not available at print time.
OHS 15, Williamsburg 2
Stats not available at print time.
