Softball Season Ends For Indians
Anna Jones with a single against Fairfield on Saturday night.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Indians were leading the Fairfield Trojans at the end of three-inning by a score of 4-0 off the bat of Abby Braundmeier celebrates after a three-run homer against Fairfield on Saturday night. and her three-run homer.
The Trojans battled back in the sixth inning, scoring a run, and building their confidence.
In the seventh inning, the Trojan bats came to life, and they piled on five more runs to take a 6-4 lead over the Indians.
The Indians couldn’t answer in the bottom of the seventh, falling and bringing to close a successful season that had the team in second place in a tough Little Hawkeye Conference.
Oskaloosa Indians Softball Head Coach Jay Harms gave Fairfield credit. “We had them down four to nothing, and they didn’t quit. You could kind of see, when they scored that run, they got a little confidence.”
“A lot of credit to them. I thought their pitcher threw the ball very well against us tonight, and we had some runners on early and didn’t get some timely hits,” added Harms.
“When you play at this stage of the season, you’ve got to make plays, and you’ve got to get timely hits, and I thought we left a little too many runners on base,” said Harms.
“It’s tough,” said Harms of the loss. “We had a great year, 27-9.”
“[We] lose two great seniors, Josie and Anna. I feel bad for Josie, she couldn’t finish her career out here,” added Harms “Two great leaders, not just this year but last year. Two quality young ladies that are going to do very well in life.”
Josie Bunnell and Anna Jones are five-year veterans of the team, and experienced the excitement of state softball tournament action three of those five years, winning a state title along the way.
Looking towards the future, Harms says that the team is young and hopes that the team will learn from the experience.
Questions about the team and its ability to be a contender lingered after last year, but the young team proved that they were for real, and contended week in and week out in the Little Hawkeye Conference.
With only one Junior starting for the Indians this year, the potential for more successful years is something Harms, and the team, can look forward to. “We should be solid next year, and I think we’ve got some other good young ones coming that’ll be pushing for positions.”
“We’ve got a young pitching staff, and I think things are going to continue to be good for this softball program in the years to come,” said Harms in closing.
