Council Bluffs, Iowa -- A 7th-inning single by Indian Hills sophomore Lexi Smith brought home the only run of the game and allowed the Warriors to take the first game of Wednesday's conference-opening doubleheader with Iowa Western, 1-0.  The Reivers returned the favor in game two, scoring a run in their final at-bat to gain a split with a 5-4 decision.

Smith's game-winning hit came with two outs in the 7th, scoring Erin Kuba, who was hit by a pitch and stole 2nd base to put herself in position to score on Smith's single.  IHCC got a superb pitching performance from Carlyn Stanley, who earlier in the week received the conference DI Pitcher of the Week honor.  Stanley allowed only six hits, didn't walk anyone and struck out nine.  She improved her season record to 7-1 with the victory.  Vanessa Bakley singled for the only other IHCC hit in the contest as Stanley outdueled IWCC's Zoe Hicks.

Indian Hills got an RBI single by Kuba in the nightcap's 5th inning after the Reivers had scored three times on a pair of doubles in the 3rd.  Down 4-1, IHCC tied things up with a three-run 6th inning.  Alexis Westercamp chased home a run with a bases-loaded grounout, Taylor Jones followed with an RBI hit and the tying run scored on an error.  Tia Kohl came on in relief of starter Olivia Goodale to start the bottom of the 6th and Iowa Western eventually scored the deciding run on a bases-loaded walk.  The Warriors outhit IW 6-4.  Jaylie Reints was 2-for-4 and Taylor DuBois was 2-for-2 and both scored a run.

The Warriors are 27-6 overall and step out of the conference for two games in Oskaloosa on Thursday afternoon.  They'll take on the William Penn JV at 2:00 and the Central JV at 4.