WARRIORS TAKE TWO FROM STATE FAIR
Sedalia, MO – Indian Hills Softball earned two non-league wins on Saturday to extend its season-high win streak to 17 games. The Warriors dropped State Fair Community College 9-3 and 17-1 to improve to 24-6 on the year.
The Warriors, receiving votes in the latest national poll, have not lost a contest since March 20 and have now posted back-to-back seasons with at least one 17-game winning streak, and the third time in the last four complete seasons. During this year’s stretch, the Warriors have outscored their opposition 175-48, an average of 10.3 runs per contest.
Saturday’s doubleheader saw the Warriors pound out 34 hits on the day, the most in a two-game span this year. The 18 hits produced in the nightcap on Saturday are the second-most for a Warrior team this year.
The Warriors saw three hits apiece from Claire Tipton (Unionville, MO/Putnam County), Tatum Argaon (Fort Collins, CO/Fort Collins), Destiny Lewis (Indianola, IA/Indianola), and Abby Martin (Lamoni, IA/Lamoni) to pace the attack. Tipton drove in a career-high four runs, including a home run to lead the Warrior offense.
Sophomore Madie Anderson (Mt. Pleasant, IA/Winfield Mt. Union) recorded the win in the circle, her eighth of the year with seven strikeouts. Thea Banning (Winterset, IA/Winterset) allowed just one hit in 1.1 innings of relief work.
The Warriors erupted for 17 runs in the nightcap, the team’s third double-digit run total in its last four contests. Freshman Hannah Simpson (Fairfield, IA/Fairfield) led the barrage with a 4-4 effort at the plate. Lewis added two hits, including a home run. The sophomore All-American has now hit a home run in each of the team’s last four contests.
Freshman Julia Kwakernaak (The Hague, Netherlands/Segbroek College) went 4-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, falling a triple shy of the cycle. Freshman Jill Smith (Walker, IA/North Linn) added a home run at the plate for the Warriors.
Sophomre Ryann Cheek (Eldridge, IA/North Scott) spun a gem in the circle with just one hit allowed in three innings of work. All nine outs for Cheek came by way of a strikeout. The southpaw has allowed just one earned run in her last 12 innings of work, a span that includes 20 strikeouts to just three walks. On the year, Cheek is 6-2 with a 1.30 earned run average and 48 punchouts.
The Warriors return home to host Kirkwood Community College on April 10 at R.L. Hellyer Field for a non-league doubleheader.
