FORT DODGE, IA - Indian Hills split a pair of ICCAC contests with Iowa Central Wednesday at Ed Barbour Field, taking game one 5-3, before falling in the nightcap, 14-10.
The win in the opener allowed the Warriors to reach the 30-win plateau as IHCC now sits at 30-11 overall and is 25-11 in league play.
"It's always great to get 30 wins on the season," said Warrior Head Coach Matthew Torrez. "I like the way our guys battled all day. We had some timely hits and we made some big pitches when we needed to. I thought we had good at-bats all day against quality arms."
Game one saw the Warriors jump out to an early lead as they plated a single run in each of the first two innings. IHCC took advantage of some control issues with Triton starter Matthew Wilkinson as a Samuel Fortier single was followed by three walks to force in a run in the first, and a RBI-single from Fortier in the second made it 2-0, Warriors.
Indian Hills right hander Charles Lefebvre was cruising along until surrendering a two-run homerun to Ben DeTaeye in the fourth which knotted up the score at 2-2. Lefebvre would be taken down with two outs in the fifth, and Dade Hensley would take it the rest of the way for the Warriors to earn the win, moving his season mark to 3-0. Iowa Central got a solo homer from Max Holy in the sixth, but that would be all Hensley and IHCC would give up.
The Warriors gave Hensley the run support he would need to collect the win by plating three runs in the top of the sixth.
Dave Janssen got the inning started by reaching after being plunked by Wilkinson. Arturo Rodriguez followed with a single to left. ICCC brought on Kai Reum in relief of Wilkinson and after a pop out, Fortier jammed the bases full by drawing a walk. C.J. Castillo came up with the key hit in a big spot as his single got through the infield and into left, allowing Janssen and Rodriguez to score. Fortier would eventually come around with the fifth run.
Castillo led the Warrior's nine-hit attack with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate with a double. Rodriguez and Fortier each added a pair of hits for IHCC.
Lefebvre and Hensley would combine to give up just five Triton hits on three strikeouts and two walks.
In the night cap, the first inning set the tone for what would be a roller coaster affair. Indian Hills jumped out to a 3-0 lead without the benefit of a hit in the first frame as neither team's starter would escape the initial inning as each squad's coach was forced to go to the bullpen early and often.
The Warrior lead was short lived as the Tritons answered IHCC's three-spot with seven runs of their own, using six singles, two walks and a hit batsman to fuel the outburst.
Iowa Central would tack on another run in the third and three more in the fourth to take what looked like a commanding 11-4 lead, but the Warriors wouldn't go away quietly.
IHCC would score three in the fifth and three more in the sixth to claw back to within one at 11-10, but the Warriors couldn't complete the comeback as the Tritons pushed three more across in the following two innings, which allowed Iowa Central (30-16, 22-12) to earn its 30th win of the season as well.
"There are some things that we need to clean up and this game is a good lesson for us," Torrez said. "There is always room to learn and especially from failure. As long as we can focus on the energy we bring on a daily basis, and focusing on what we can control, we are setting ourselves up for success."
The Warriors would only manage five hits in game two, led by Rodriguez, who had two base knocks, including a double. IHCC's offense was buoyed by earning ten walks over the nine-inning contest. Despite the loss to end the day, Torrez remained positive as he and his squad see the regular season drawing to a close quickly.
"Some guys are starting to break out of their shell right now as I think it is going to be important going forward considering how close we are to the end of the season," Torrez said. "These next six games are going to be great tune-ups for our players heading into regionals."
Indian Hills will conclude the regular season with a six-game homestand. IHCC hosts DMACC for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend as the team celebrates Parents Weekend as well as honoring 15 second and third-year players before game one on Saturday as part of Sophomore Day festivities. First pitch Saturday is at 1 p.m., while Sunday's twinbill begins at noon. The Warriors finish up regular season play next Wednesday with a pair of home games against Iowa Central, beginning at 1 p.m.
Coach Torrez and the Warriors will begin postseason play by hosting a best 2-of-3 first round of Regional play with a pair of games on Saturday, May 8, and concluding on Sunday, May 9, if needed.
GAME ONE
Indian Hills 110 003 0 – 5 9 0
Iowa Central 000 201 0 – 3 5 0
Charles Lefebvre, Dade Hensley (5) and Dave Janssen. Matthew Wilkinson, Kai Reum (6) and Ben Gallaher.
W – Hensley (3-0). L – Wilkinson.
LOB – IH 8, IC 3. 2B – Boucher, Castillo. RBI – Boucher, Castillo 2, Fortier. HBP – Janssen. SB – Castillo, Fortier. CS – Rodriguez.
GAME TWO
Indian Hills 310 033 000 – 10 5 5
Iowa Central 701 300 21x – 14 16 0
Andrew Beissner, Jurgen Switzer (1), Milan Van Der Breggen (2), Kohta Kubota (4), C.J. Castillo (5), Gavin Hinckley (7) and Dave Janssen. Payton Leonard, Brock Johnson (1), Gavin Baker (5), Lane Glaser (6) and Ben Gallaher.
W – Johnson. L – Andrew Beissner (2-1).
E – Castillo, Rodriguez 2, Van Der Breggen 2. LOB – IH 6, IC 12. 2B – Rodriguez. RBI – Aragon, Boucher, Fortier, Janssen 4. SAC – Aragon, Boucher. HBP – Boucher. SB – Boucher, Janssen, Rodriguez 2, Tachioka 2.