Osky Girls Can’t Find Their Offense; Go 2-3 for the Week
The Indians struggled with offense this past week.
by Matt Saville
The Osky girl’s knew going into the week that they were going to have to play some of the best ball they were capable of this season, as they had several ranked teams on the schedule. They felt they were up for the challenge. The one thing they forgot was an offense that would be consistent in order to help pull out victories for the week. They went 2-3 for their first losing week of the season.
Tuesday brought the 2A #3 ranked Eddyville Rockets to town, for a non-conference match-up between two of the best in central Iowa. It turned out to be a one sided affair on this night, as Eddyville took a 4-0 victory over the Indians. For the Indians it was a night filled with mistake after mistake, but for the Rockets it was a night of hitting and taking advantage of those Osky miscues, leading them to the well-deserved victory.
Leading the way for Osky was senior Kelsie Tomlin going 3-4 on the night. Senior Callie Arnold, freshman Aubrey Miller and freshman Alexis Westercamp all had singles. Taking the loss on the mound was freshman Alexis Groet going all 7 innings; giving up 8 hits, allowing 3 earned runs, walking 4 and striking out 8 on the night.
Osky was looking to get those bats warmed up and looking to take out some frustration. They decided to do that on the Newton Cardinals on Wednesday night, as the lady Indians traveled to Newton and came away with a 10-0 Little Hawkeye Conference victory.
Three Osky hitters had at least 3 hits on the night, as the Indians collected 16 hits on the evening. Callie Arnold went 3-4 with an rbi , Kylee Silliman was 3-5 with an rbi , and Peyton Zickefoose was 3-5 with a double. Going 2-5 was Kelsie Tomlin with 2 rbi, Bethany Rowley 2-3 with a double and an rbi and Aubrey Miller 1-5 with the big blast, a homerun and 2 rbi. Winning pitcher was Silliman going 7 innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 2.
Friday, the lady Indians traveled to Iowa City to play at the University of Iowa against Davenport West in a 4th of July tournament. The Indians once again found out that the going was rough on the offensive side of things, as they managed just 6 hits and really couldn’t put much together throughout the game. Junior Peyton Zickefoose was 1-3 with the only Indian rbi, senior Kailyn Risher was 2-3 as was senior Callie Arnold. Getting the other hit for Osky was freshman Alexis Westercamp, going 1-3. Taking the loss was freshman Alexis Groet going 6 innings; allowing 9 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
Osky seemed to have a short memory as they took on the #3 ranked 3A team Cedar Rapids Xavier. The girls had their hands full from the very beginning. Xavier was the first to get on the board in the bottom of the second with a lone run, taking a 1-0 lead. The score would remain that way until the top of the 4th. That’s when freshman Aubrey Miller stepped into the batter’s box and launched, what is to date, the biggest hit of her young career. She hit a grand slam! That is all that sophomore Silliman needed to slam the door shut on Xavier and for Osky to get the upset. Silliman went 7 innings allowing 7 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.
Saturday, the Indians only played one game, due to bad weather, and they ran into a buzz saw in a very good Muscatine team. Muscatine scored 5 runs in the second inning, another in the third and 4 more in the fifth. Muscatine finished off the lady Indians 10-0, as Osky just had nothing going from the get go.
Osky was led by Silliman and Westercamp both going 2-2 with a double apiece, Tomlin was 2-3 and Zickefoose 1-3 to round out the offense. Taking the loss was Silliman going 3 innings, giving up 7 hits and 4 earned runs. Groet went 2 innings allowing 2 hits, 3 earned runs, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.
Osky is in action at home in a huge Little Hawkeye Conference double header Monday night against Norwalk. They must sweep that contest to still have a shot with conference leader Dallas Center Grimes later this week.
