Oskaloosa Splits Games at New Field
by Wade Steinlage
The Oskaloosa Indians softball team broke in its new digs this week with varying results.
OHS, which owns a ranking of #7 in Class 4A, opened the 2018 campaign with a 4-3 loss to Albia Monday before defeating Knoxville 6-5 (8 innings) Tuesday.
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 also have a brand new field.
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.
Next Up: The Indians will travel to Williamsburg Saturday to compete in the Williamsburg Tournament. Oskaloosa will play Union and 11 a.m. and West Branch at 1 p.m.
