West Burlington, Iowa -- One day after getting a walk-off home run against Lake Land (Ill.), Indian Hills used four more round-trippers, including three in one decisive inning of the nightcap, to take both ends of an ICCAC doubleheader from Southeastern on Wednesday, winning 8-0 and 4-0 at the Wagner Sports Complex.
Game two was a scoreless pitcher's duel between the Warriors' Tia Kohl and SCC's Kaylynn Powell until the 6th inning. Indian Hills sophomore Lexi Smith broke the deadlock with a solo homer to left field, her team-leading 11th blast of the year. Cheyanne Bergert followed with a bases-empty shot to right center for her 8th of the season. After a single by Alexis Westercamp, Helaina Johnson drilled a two-run blow to right field, number-five for Johnson, to cap the big inning. That was more than enough offense for Kohl, who spun a four-hit shutout with one walk and no strikeouts. She is 5-1 for the spring. Smith and Westercamp each had two hits, Smith raising her average to .429, tied for second on the squad with Jaylie Reints. Johnson's .446 mark leads IHCC.
Abby Straight, who hit the game-winning homer against Lake Land Tuesday, didn't waste any time in duplicating that feat with her 8th homer in the first inning of Wednesday's opener. Straight came to the plate with the Warriors already ahead 1-0 and two runners on base and deposited an Ashley Rosado pitch over the fence for a quick 4-0 advantage. After only a half-inning, Straight had plenty of runs to work with, and she shut out the Blackhawks on three hits with a walk and two Ks. SCC moved only two runners into scoring position. Erin Kuba doubled and scored on a single by Reints in the 1st inning before the Straight home run and Kuba added another double and a single. Smith, Straight and Taylor DuBois all had two-hit games.
The four long balls give the Warriors 49 for the season, just six short of last year's team total.
The sweep gives IHCC 32 wins, equaling last season's victory total. Their overall record is 32-7 and they're 20-2 since losing both games of a twinbill with Butler (Kans.) on Mar. 9. The Warriors have used their torrid play of late to move into the national rankings. They are 20th in NJCAA Division I.
Next up is a doubleheader with the William Penn junior varsity on Thursday, before a league DH at Marshalltown Friday.