Softball Season Ends After Shutout Loss to SCC

Council Bluffs, IA -- Southeastern CC won the Region XI postseason tournament, thanks in large part to the exploits of freshman Amy Harner. Harner's two-run homer in the second inning accounted for the only runs of the game as the Black Hawks blanked Indian Hills 2-0 in the region title game on Tuesday.
It was Harner who helped SCC get to the tourney's final day still unbeaten after she crushed a three-run homer with two outs in the 7th inning against Indian Hills on Saturday. That home run tied the game at 8-8 and Southeastern won the game 10-8 in eight innings.
The homer on Tuesday came after a one-out single by Hannah Pauly. Anyibell Ramirez made the runs stand up as she permitted only four IHCC hits. Three of those hits came in succession in the 5th inning, but a base-running mistake cost the Warriors a chance to score.
Brandi Haight pitched the first 2 1/3 innings for IHCC and Ali Downing finished up. They gave up only seven hits and struck out five.
Indian Hills had opened the day with a 3-0 win against Iowa Western. Downing continued her dominance over the Reivers, shutting them out on only three hits. The IHCC sophomore gave up only one run in 31 innings in her final four appearances against Iowa Western. That includes a three-hitter in in a 7-1 win in the opening game of the region tournament and a no-hitter two days before that. Downing also pitched 10 shutout innings and got a no-decision in a game with the Reivers on April 15.
In Tuesday's first game, Indian Hills scored what would be their only runs of the day in the 1st inning. Dallas Schmacker led off with a single and Kelly Ruepke reached base when her sacrifice attempt was thrown away. Chelle Phillips was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Carly Hart drove in the first run with a groundout and Audrey Crabtree followed with a two-run single. That was more than enough for Downing who pitched out of a couple of two-on, one-out jams.
But the IHCC bats were silent the rest of the day. They managed only two hits the rest of the opening game and had only four in game two.
The Warriors end the season with a 28-17 record. SCC moves on to play Crowder (Mo.) College in the district tournament this weekend.

Late Homers Send IHCC to Tough Loss

Council Bluffs, IA -- One more out. That's all the Indian Hills softball team needed in the top of the 7th inning of its game with Southeastern CC in the Region XI tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors had staged a furious comeback from a 5-0 deficit to take an 8-5 lead. With two outs in the top of the 7th and two runners on base, the Black Hawks' Amy Harner kept her team alive with a three-run homer to straight-away center field. Milagros Lozada followed with a two-run homer in the top of the 8th and the Black Hawks pulled out the 10-8 victory that left them as the only unbeaten team remaining in the four-team regional tournament.
Indian Hills had opened the tourney with a 7-1 win over Iowa Western. SCC defeated Muscatine 4-3 in their first-round game.
The Warriors were blanked for the first five innings in the game with SCC by Black Hawks pitcher Connie Ferrill. IHCC finally broke through in the 6th, sending 12 batters to the plate. There were eight hits and a walk and by the time the final out was recorded, the Warriors found themselves on top 8-5.
Kaci Walczak had taken over for starter Ali Downing in the 6th and retired the first batter in the 7th. Two straight walks and a fielder's choice preceded Harner's home run. Downing came back into the game after the next two hitters reached base and she got the final out of the inning on a popup, but surrendered the game-winning homer in the 8th.
IHCC had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the 7th before SCC's Anyibell Ramirez struck out the next two hitters to send the game into extra innings. Ramirez relieved Ferrill in the 7th and got the win.
A three-run double by Kelly Ruepke snapped a 5-all tie in IHCC's big 6th inning. Carly Hart, Audrey Crabtree and Lizzy Tucker had consecutive run-scoring hits in the frame and Ryan Jehle also drove in a run. The Warriors had been blanked on only two hits before the 6th.

Indian Hills took control of the Iowa Western game with a four-run second inning. After Dallas Schmacker tied the game at 1 with a single, Chelle Phillips was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give IHCC the lead and Hart hit a two-out, two-strike double to drive in a pair.
Hart had another two-out, two-strike hit in the 4th -- a single -- to add to the lead and Crabtree's sacrifice fly chased home another run in the 6th.
Meanwhile, Downing kept the IWCC bats in check, giving up only three hits and the lone run, all in the second inning.
Indian Hills (27-15) will have to wait until Tuesday to resume the tournament. The Warriors will play Iowa Western in an elimination game at 11:00 am after rain washed out Sunday's schedule. If the Warriors can get by Iowa Western, they would have to beat Southeastern twice to secure the postseason title.

Warriors Fall Just Short in Bid for League Title

West Burlington, IA -- Indian Hills was two outs away from a sweep of Southeastern and a regular-season conference championship on Monday. But Anais Puertas dashed the Warriors' hopes. The SCC shortstop hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 8th inning and SCC took a 7-6 win in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Warriors had pushed across a run in the top of the 7th in the opener to pull out a 4-3 victory.
The results leave a logjam at the top of the four-team conference. SCC closes the league slate with a 7-5 record, the same as Muscatine CC. Indian Hills is 6-5 in the conference and will need to make up a game with Iowa Western this week to see if IHCC can make it a three-way tie for the lead. Then, the league office will have to determine the seeds for this weekend's Region XI postseason tournament in Council Bluffs.
Puertas' homer came off IHCC sophomore Ali Downing who entered the bottom of the 8th looking for her second win of the day against the Black Hawks. Downing had gone the distance in the first game and picked up the win when Carly Hart singled home Kelly Ruepke in the top of the 7th. SCC had runners at first and second in the bottom of the inning, but a ground out ended the game.
Lizzy Tucker drove in the first three runs for the Warriors with a single in the 4th and a two-run homer in the 6th. Southeastern tied the game with three in the 6th, the first scoring on a home run by Mayles Rodriguez.
SCC jumped ahead in the second game with two runs against Indian Hills starter Kaci Walczak. Walczak settled down after the first and allowed only single runs in the 4th and 5th. She retired eight straight hitters in one stretch.
Indian Hills scored a run in the 1st on a single by Chelle Phillips. Phillips then drilled a three-run homer to left in the 3rd to make the score 4-2.
SCC tied the game at 5-all in the 6th on a run-scoring double by Puertas.
In the 8th, Ruepke's two-out single drove in Kris Penick with the go-ahead run for IHCC, before Puertas allowed SCC to walk off with the win.
Indian Hills outhit the home team 15-7 in the second game and 11-6 in the first game.
Dallas Schmacker was 4-for-5 in the second game and had five hits on the day. Ruepke and Hart each had four hits in the two games.
Indian Hills' season record is 25-14. SCC had a nine-game winning streak stopped in the opener. All four regular season games between the two teams were decided by one run.

Extra-Inning Defeat Drops Warriors from 1st

Council Bluffs -- Iowa Western pushed across a run in the bottom of the 11th inning to snap a scoreless tie and down Indian Hills, 1-0, in the first game of a scheduled twinbill on Wednesday. The second game had to be postponed due to a malfunction in the watering system in between games, flooding the field and making it unplayable. That game may have to be made up next week depending on how the Warriors fare in Sunday's doubleheader at Southeastern.
SCC is now in first place by percentage points with a 6-4 record, just ahead of Muscatine (7-5) and Indian Hills (5-4). The Warriors can jump back ahead of Southeastern with a sweep on Sunday. That would mean IHCC and Iowa Western would need to make up Wednesday's game, giving the Warriors a chance to finish alone in first place. That would give them the top seed for the postseason Region XI tourney that will be played April 25 and 26.
Iowa Western broke through in the bottom of the 11th after loading the bases with no one out against reliever Brandi Haight. Haight got two outs, but the Reivers Katie Osborne singled into left field to score the game-winning run.
Ali Downing pitched the first 10 innings for the Warriors and gave up only six hits while striking out six. Emilee Pittman went all the way in the circle for IWCC, throwing an incredible 177 pitches. The Warriors had seven hits, including doubles by Kelly Ruepke and Ryan Jehle. Chelle Phillips had three singles for IHCC.

Warriors Stay in First After Split

Ottumwa -- Indian Hills couldn't complete a second-game comeback and settled for a split in their home doubleheader with Muscatine CC on Tuesday. The Warriors won the opener, 9-1 in five innings, thanks to the pitching of Ali Downing and three home runs, two of them by catcher Ryan Jehle. Despite bringing the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 7th, the Warriors dropped game two, 6-4.
The results leave IHCC alone in first place in the conference with a 5-3 record, just ahead of Southeastern (6-4) and Muscatine (7-5).
Downing was sharp in the first game against MCC, giving up the Cardinals' lone run in the 5th. She struck out six and allowed only four hits.
The IHCC pitcher got plenty of support from the Warriors offense which banged out 11 hits. Jehle had a two-run homer in the 3rd after an Audrey Crabtree single and then ended the game early, giving the Warriors an eight-run lead with another two-run blast in the 5th. Kelly Ruepke had led off the 5th with a homer to left field. Crabtree enjoyed a huge day at the plate, going 7-for-7 with four RBIs.
Indian Hills opened the scoring with two runs in the 1st inning on a sacrifice fly by Carly Hart and Crabtree's run-scoring hit. Dallas Schmacker singled home a run in the 2nd and Crabtree had another RBI single just ahead of Jehle's second homer in the 5th.
IHCC coach Jim Overturf started Downing in game two, after the sophomore had pitched only five innings in the opener. But MCC had much more success against her after the between-game break, getting four hits and three runs in the 1st inning. They added three more runs in the 3rd against reliever Brandi Haight to go ahead 6-0.
The Warriors scored three times in the bottom of the 3rd. Chelle Phillips and Hart drove in runs with ground outs and Crabtree had an RBI single.
Hart doubled with one out in the 7th and came home on another base hit by Crabtree. But the next two hitters were retired on grounders and the IHCC comeback attempt fell short.
Kaci Walczak pitched four shutout innings in relief for the Warriors after taking over in the 4th inning. Indian Hills had 11 hits in game two -- four by Crabtree and two by Ruepke.
Indian Hills heads to Iowa Western for a Region XI doubleheader on Wednesday.

Run in 8th Allows Illinois Central to Split

Ottumwa -- Illinois Central pushed across a run in the 8th inning and defeated Indian Hills, 3-2, in the second game of a doubleheader at R.L. Hellyer Field on Tuesday. Behind the four-hit pitching of Ali Downing, Indian Hills won the first game, 4-1. The twinbill, the first home appearance for the Warriors, came on a day in which the weather was much more conducive to football than softball.

The Warriors jumped on top in game one on a solo homer by Kelly Ruepke (photo at right) in the 2nd inning. They added a run that inning when Audrey Crabtree singled home Kris Penick, who had singled. McKenzie Cason singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the 4th and IHCC's final run was scored by Brittany Petersen in the 5th.

Meanwhile, Downing shut down the visiting Chargers until allowing a 7th-inning run. The sophomore righthander struck out three and walked two in notching her 11th win of the season against only two losses.

In the second game, Indian Hills was scoreless until the bottom of the 7th when they rallied to tie the game at 2-all. A single by Amanda Kellums drove in Chelle Phillips and Petersen to get the Warriors even.

The international rule for extra innings was used with each team starting their half of the 8th inning with a runner at second base. Illinois Central scored that runner on a sacrifice fly; the Warriors bunted into a double play and lost their chance for a sweep.

Kaci Walczak started game two for IHCC and pitched into the 4th inning. She left with the bases loaded and Brandi Haight allowed only one of the runners to score. Haight then pitched the rest of the way for the Warriors, allowing the winning run in the 8th. The IHCC pitchers allowed just five hits and two walks.

Phillips, Petersen, Kellums and Ruepke each had two hits for the Warriors and Haight and Crabtree one apiece.

Indian Hills' scheduled doubleheader at home against Kirkwood on Wednesday was postponed to let the Eagles make up a conference doubleheader against Marshalltown.

Next action for the Warriors will be Friday when Southeastern visits for a league twinbill, starting at 2:00.

IHCC Signs Five for Volleyball

Ottumwa -- Indian Hills Community College volleyball coach Terry Carlson has announced the addition of five players to his 2009 recruiting class. Carlson said Mariah Hopkins of Ottumwa, Kersten Phillips of Starmont, Lizzy White of Reeds Springs, Mo., Chelsey Taylor of Fairfield and Taylor Woebbeking of Newton all signed letters of intent with the Warriors.

Hopkins(with Carlson in top left photo) is an outside hitter who was a starter and key contributor last fall for the OHS Bulldog volleyball team. Carlson said, “I’m excited about Mariah’s potential. She comes from a successful high school program and I look forward to her continued development at IHCC.

Phillips (signing, top right photo) is a six-foot middle hitter who was a second-team all-conference and first-team all-district player and averaged over three kills per game as a senior. “Kersten is a good fit for our program,” said Carlson. “She is a very strong hitter with a huge upside.”

White was first-team all-conference, second-team all-region and second-team all district in Missouri. “She is one of the best passers I’ve seen while recruiting this spring,” said Carlson. “Lizzy is extremely quick and fearless.”

Taylor (signing, photo at right) was a starter and team captain on last year’s Fairfield HS state tournament team. She led the Trojans in ace serves and was second in digs and is expected to be a defensive specialist with the Warriors. “Chelsey brings a great attitude to our program. She comes from a very successful high school program and is another player who I’m excited to see how she progresses at this level,” Carlson said.

Woebbeking is the second setter signed so far by the IHCC coach and she will be the sixth player from Newton HS to play for Carlson. She was second-team all-conference. “Taylor could be a very special player. She is very quick, has the ability to run multiple offenses and gives 100% effort,” according to Carlson.

These five signees join Claire Black, a setter from Erie, Ill., who signed earlier with the Warriors.

Softball:

Muscatine, IA --- Down to their last out, the Indian Hills softball team rallied for two runs in the seventh inning to come from behind and defeat Muscatine Community College and complete a sweep of the Indians on Wednesday in Muscatine. The last-inning rally allowed the Warriors to pull out a 3-2 victory in the second game after Ali Downing (photo at right) had shut out the host team in a 7-0 IHCC win in game one.
The victories came in the Region 11 opener for the Warriors against conference newcomer Muscatine, which has moved up from Division II to Division I this spring. MCC joins Indian Hills, Iowa Western and Southeastern in the league.
Chelle Phillips’ double plated Dallas Schmacker with the game-winning run in the second game. Schmacker had doubled home Audrey Crabtree with the tying run moments before. The Warriors were held to just one hit in the game until they strung together three doubles in the final frame. Crabtree had reached on a fielder’s choice after Kelly Ruepke had led off the inning with a two-base hit.
After IHCC went ahead in the top of the seventh, Downing shut down Muscatine in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win. Downing had come on in relief of starter Kaci Walczak in the fourth inning and she ran her season record to 10-2 with the pair of wins.
In the first game, Downing, a sophomore right-hander who was a first-team all-region choice last year, blanked the Indians on three hits.
IHCC coach Jim Overturf stacked his lineup in the opener with five left-handed hitters and the Warriors responded with a 13-hit attack. Phillips, Schmacker, Kris Penick and Brittany Petersen each had two hits.
Indian Hills was scoreless through the first three innings, then scored at least one run in each of the last four.
Phillips came into the doubleheader with a .396 batting average for the season. She followed her two-hit first game with two more safeties in the second game. Phillips had singled home the Warriors’ first run in the third before her game-winning double.
IHCC coach Jim Overturf was elated to get a sweep to open the conference season. “We did a lot of great things in the two games,” Overturf said. “We had a higher level of intensity than we had seen in the first part of our season and that helped to carry us through. I was really proud of the way all of our players, especially our sophomores, stepped up in the second game.”
Indian Hills is now 13-6 for the season while Muscatine drops to 18-5. The Warriors head to St. Louis this weekend for a tournament at St. Louis CC-Meramec. They’ll play the host school and North Central (Mo.) on Saturday and will take on Jefferson College and Iowa Western on Sunday.
The Warriors are slated to open their home schedule next Tuesday, March 31, against Illinois Central in a 3:00 doubleheader at R.L. Hellyer Field.