WARRIORS SWEEP ROCK VALLEY, EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO NINE
April 05, 2025
Ottumwa, IA – The Indian Hills Softball team ran its winning streak to nine games with a doubleheader sweep of Rock Valley College (IL) on Saturday afternoon at R.L. Hellyer Field. The Warriors improve to 18-12 overall on the year with the two wins.
The Warriors used an impressive offensive approach on Saturday to drop the Golden Eagles for the second and third times this season. Indian Hills defeated Rock Valley 8-2 in the opener before taking game two 7-2. The Warriors pounded out 22 hits on the day to pair with two solid outings in the circle from the pitching staff.
Indian Hills saw Rock Valley take an initial 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one before freshman Chandler Houselog (Dubuque, IA/Dubuque Hempstead) put the Warriors on the board in the second with a run-scoring double to left. A solo home run from sophomore Courtney Locke (Bow, WA/Burlington-Edison) in the third evened the score at 2-2.
Houselog gave Indian Hills its first lead of the afternoon in the fourth with another run-scoring base hit to drive in Mary-Paige Withers (Le Claire, IA/Pleasant Valley). Sophomore Ashlynn Sheets (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) kept the Golden Eagles in check before the offense broke things open in the sixth with a five-run inning. Houselog tacked on another RBI double in the frame while Emma Scully (West Des Moines, IA/Valley) and Locke added run-scoring base hits.
Sheets closed out the complete game effort, keeping Rock Valley scoreless over the final six frames. Sheets, who picked up her second complete game victory of the year over the Golden Eagles, strike out nine batters while scattering five hits and just one walk allowed.
Houselog finished game one 3-3 at the plate with three RBI while Locke added two hits and three RBI for the Warriors.
Indian Hills put game two out of reach early as an RBI single in the first from Cassandra Benberg (Green Bay, WI/Pulaski) sparked the offense that led to a five-run second inning. Peyton Raley (Arvada, CO/Arvada West) delivered an RBI double before Locke added her second home run of the day, a three-run shot to left. Benberg delivered her second RBI of the inning on a double to deep center field.
Sophomore Alivia Ruble (Lacona, IA/Southeast Warren) kept the Golden Eagles off balance through five innings of work as Indian Hills maintained a comfortable lead. Sophomore Ava Smith (Waukee, IA/Waukee Northwest) added an insurance run in the sixth, a solo home run to center to extend her season-long hitting streak to 14 games.
Benberg tied a season-high with three hits while Raley, Locke, and Smith all added two knocks in the win.
Ruble secured the win to move to 7-5 overall on the year while striking out six batters in the circle for Indian Hills.
During the team’s nine-game win streak, the Warriors are outscoring their opponents 73-18.
The Warriors’ homestand continues with a nonconference doubleheader against North Central Missouri College at R.L. Hellyer Field on Monday afternoon. First pitch is set for 2:00 PM.
