Osky dumps No. 9 Louisa-Muscatine 9-5

OSKALOOSA — The Oskaloosa Indians finished the Indian Softball Classic Saturday at the Lacey Complex on a high note with a 9-5 win over the No. 9 ranked in Class 2A, Louisa-Muscatine Falcons. The Falcons had just come off of a 3-0 win over the EBF Rockets while the Indians had dropped a 6-3 decision to the Creston Panthers.

The Indians struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Lucy Roach and Lydian Van Veldhuizen each worked for a base on balls. Both runners moved up on a ground out by Alexis Price and then both scored when Shannon Van Rheenen delivered a sharp single to right field.

Oskaloosa increased its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third. Speedy Maleah Walker led off with a bunt single, swiped second and scored when Pressley Blommers’ ground ball was thrown away. Blommers moved up on the error and scored when Roach rapped a base hit.

Things didn’t look good for the Indians in the top of the fourth as the Falcons batted around the line up and put a crooked five spot on the board to take the lead.

The Tribe quickly regained their composure and answered with a four on the board to take a lead they would not relinquish. Price started it with a walk and then she stole second. Walker was plunked by a pitch and Aubrey Boender took an 0-2 pitch through the middle for a base hit to score Price. The table was set for Olivia Gordon. Gordon found an 0-2 pitch to her liking and she turned on it.

Kaboom! A resounding drive rattled off the left field foul pole for a three-run blast and an 8-5 Osky lead.

The Indians added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Van Veldhuizen was nicked by a pitch and Price drew a base on balls. Both runners moved up on a passed ball and Van Veldhuizen scored on Van Rheenen’s ground out to the right side.

Blommers took control in the circle in the fifth and sixth inning, setting the Falcons down 1-2-3 in both innings. The work by Blommers earned her the first varsity pitching win in her career.

“It was a good way to finish the week,” Indian Coach Jay Harms said. “We had disappointing losses Friday night and this morning, We got timely hits in this game, Pressley battled in the circle and got her first career win and Olivia came through with a huge home run. Both the home run by Gordon and the RBI single by Boender came on 0-2 pitches and that is clutch hitting.”

The Indians continue their Little Hawkeye Conference journey this week with a home game with league leading Norwalk Monday and a Highway 163 rivalry game with Pella at home on Wendesday.

Louisa-Muscatine 000 500 — 571

Oskaloosa 022 41x — 950

Oskaloosa Battery: Pressley Blommers (W), 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K and Olivia Gordon

Oskaloosa hitting – Maleah Walker 1-for-3, Aubrey Boender 1-for-3, Gordon 1-for-3, Lucy Roach 1-for-2, Shannon Van Rheenen 1-for-3.

Oskaloosa runs – Walker 2, Boender 1, Gordon 1, Blommers 1, Roach 1, Lydia Van Veldhuizen 2, Alexis Price 1.

Oskaloosa RBI – Gordon 3, Boender 1, Roach 1, Van Rheenen 3.

HR – Gordon 1.

Tournament Summary:

Knoxville 10, Collins-Maxwell 0

The highly anticipated matchup between the Panthers and the highly rated Class 1A Spartans came unraveled early in the game. The Spartan pitcher’s knee buckled while delivering a pitch to Emma Dunkin and she was unable to continue.

The relief pitcher was unable to find the strike zone. Three walks, a hit batsman, a sacrifice fly by Caira Heffron and a two-run double by Melanie Sullivan gave the Panthers a 4-0 lead after the first inning of play. Knoxville put the finishing touches on a 10-0 victory with three run in both the second and third inning.

Heffron was in complete control in the circle as she allowed only a bunt single and fanned 12 batters in gaining the win.

Collins-Maxwell 000 00 — 012

Knoxville 433 0x — 10 8 0

Knoxville Battery – Caira Heffron (W), 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K, 1 HB and Brittany Bacorn.

Knoxville hitting – Jaydn Streigle 1-for-4, Ashlyn Finarty 2-for-2, Heffron 2-for-2, Charlie Willis 1-for-2, Melanie Sullivan 2-for-3.

Knoxville runs – Streigle 1, Emma Dunkin 2, Finarty 2, Alexis Koons 1, Bacorn 2, Heffron 1, willis 1.

Knoxville RBI – Heffron 4, Willis 1, Sullivan 3.

2B – Sullivan 1.

EBF 5, Van Meter 3

The Rockets knocked off rated Van Meter 5-3 to open play at the Lacey Complex Saturday morning.

EBF got a first inning jump start with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Molly Shafer ripped the first pitch of the game into the left field corner for a double and twin sister, Kate, brought her home with a single through the middle. A base hit by Whitney Klyn moved Kate to third and Kate would score on a sacrifice fly by Sarah Schutt.

With Bella Noble dealing in the circle, the Rockets held that 2 – 0 lead until the top of the fourth when they added two more runs to their total. Kaylee Helm led off the inning with a booming home run off the left field foul pole. Kate Shafer reached on a fielder’s choice, moved up on a single by Klyn and scored on an outfield error.

The Bulldogs answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Noble was able to escape the jam. The Rockets came back with a run in the top of the fifth when Taylor Kerby singled and scored on a triple by Helm.

Noble set Van Meter down in the bottom of the inning. The time limit had expired and the Rockets had a big 5-3 victory.

EBF 200 21 — 5 8 1

Van Meter 000 30 — 3 8 2

EBF battery – Bella Noble (W), 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K and Rylee German

EBF hitting – Molly Shafer 2-for-3, Kate Shafer 1-for-3, Whitney Klyn 2-for-2, Taylor Kerby 1-for-2, Kaylee Helm 2-for-3.

EBF runs – M. Shafer 1, K. Shafer 2, Kerby 1, Helm 1.

EBF RBI – Sarah Schutt 1, Helm 2.

3B – Helm 1

HR – Helm 1.

Louisa-Muscatine 3, EBF 0

EBF’s Molly Shafer and L-M’s Piper Brandt locked horns in a tight pitching duel at the Lacey Complex Saturday. There was nothing but goose eggs on the board for five innings until the Falcons broke through with a run in the top of the sixth. L-M added two more runs in the top of the seventh to set the final score at 3-0.

Brandt shut the Rockets down on only three hits and Rylee German had two of them. Aliya Wagamon connected for the other Rocket hit.

Louisa-Muscatine 000 012 — 3 7 3

EBF 000 000 — 0 3 1

EBF Battery – Molly Shafer (L), 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K and Rylee German

EBF hitting – German 2-for3, Aliya Wagamon 1-for-2.

Additional Scores

Wayne 7, North Butler 0

West Burlington 7, Sigourney 5

Iowa City Liberty 4, Fairfield 2

Albia 9, Iowa City Liberty 0

Albia 5, Wayne 3

Carlisle 2, Collins-Maxwell 1