Perfect League Week for Indians
Oskaloosa catcher Ethan Arnold works to tag out the runner from Knoxville during Tuesday nights game.
by Wade Steinlage
The Oskaloosa Indian baseball team took care of its rivals as it remained in contention for a Little Hawkeye Conference title.
Oskaloosa (17-8, 12-4 LHC) opened the week with a 7-3 win over Dallas Center-Grimes Monday. The squad then dropped its lone contest, falling 11-9 to non-conference foe Knoxville Tuesday.
On Wednesday, OHS swept Newton 5-1 and 7-5 and concluded the week with a 9-6 win (eight innings) against Norwalk Friday.
Oskaloosa 7, Dallas Center-Grimes 3
Two weeks after being swept on the road by DC-G, the Indians took advantage of its own home cooking to exact revenge on the Mustangs.
DC-G took the early advantage with all three of its runs in the second inning, but OHS answered back to knot the contest at 3-3 in the bottom of the third. The maroon and white then went ahead for good with another three-run spot in the fifth. The hosts, who outhit the Mustangs 12-4, tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.
Tucker Nunnikhoven paced the offense with three hits, while also scoring two runs and stealing two bases. Alex DeJong added two bases knocks as nine different Indians tallied a hit. None was bigger than Ethan Arnold’s three-run home run however. Blake Van Veldhuizen managed two RBIs in the victory as well.
Rian Yates struck out eight batters against three walks in five innings of work, while Noah Van Veldhuizen recorded five strikeouts (two walks) in two shutout innings out of the bullpen.
Knoxville 11, Oskaloosa 9
Multi-run innings were the name of the game in the non-conference battle. Both sides scored two runs in the opening frame, but the visiting Panthers reclaimed the lead with four runs in the second inning.
OHS responded with a huge third inning, scoring seven runs for a 9-6 edge. Unfortunately, the Indians could not stay on top as Knoxville scored five runs in the final two innings, including two in the seventh to break a 9-9 tie.
Oskaloosa lost the hitting battle 14-10 with Arnold, DeJong, and Bennett Spry all producing two hits. Seth Sarver pounded a three-run homer, while Nick Harrington drove in two RBIs. Nunnikhoven and Spry rounded the bases twice, and DeJong and Casey Hill were busy on the pads with two stolen bases each.
It is possible the programs, who faced off in a twinbill on May 23, may meet again in the postseason as they have been assigned to District 12, along with Chariton and Pella.
Oskaloosa 5, Newton 1
Harrington rolled through the Cardinal lineup, limiting the visitors to just five hits in a complete game. He struck out two and walked one.
OHS scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first, but Newton answered immediately in the next half inning. The home team took the advantage right back in the next half inning and pulled away with two more runs in the fifth.
Spry’s two hits highlighted Oskaloosa’s seven-hit outing. Harrington was not only a star on the mound, but was also quite proficient at the plate with a hit and two walks. Tyler Miller matched him with two bases on balls and Hill finished with two steals.
Oskaloosa 7, Newton 5
The Indians completed the season sweep with a late rally. Three early OHS runs were counted by four unanswered by Newton as the Cardinals led 4-3 entering the bottom of the fifth.
Oskaloosa plated three runs in the bottom half and matched Newton with a sixth-inning tally. The Indians posted 11 hits, but were bettered in that category by one. Miller, Arnold, and DeJong all recorded two hits, while Arnold scored a team-best two runs.
Oskaloosa 9, Norwalk 6
A wild one capped Oskaloosa’s successful week. The visiting Indians ran out to a 5-0 advantage entering the bottom of the sixth, but the Warriors did all their damage in that half inning to suddenly put OHS on its heels.
The Indians were down to their final out with the bases empty in the top of the seventh, but strung together three straight hits to tie the matchup at 6-6. Reliever Charlie Bandstra worked out of trouble in the bottom of the seventh and the Indians completed the rally with three runs in the eighth to come away triumphant.
Oskaloosa topped Norwalk 16-10 in hits with Arnold posting a huge night with four hits. Miller and Blake Van Veldhuizen added three each, while Sarver was good for another two. Sarver went all the way around three times, while Blake Van Veldhuizen managed two RBIs. Miller also stole two bases.
Starting pitcher Yates had four strikeouts and a walk in 5 2/3 innings.
Next Up: Oskaloosa travels to Pella Monday to face the Dutch in an LHC doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.
