Ottumwa -- The Indian Hills softball squad made their trip back to Iowa a more pleasant one after getting a walk-off victory against Midland (Tex.) College in the last game of their southern swing.  The 3-2 decision, achieved on a passed ball in the 8th inning, was the 3rd of the season-opening trip, in 11 games.

"This trip was good for us," said IHCC head coach Lindsay Diehl.  "We returned a different team than when we left.  I saw our team have fun together and that, to me, is a huge piece of a team figuring themselves out.  From my time at the ballpark over the years one of the main ingredients for success is having fun along the way."

The season-opener was a heartbreaking 8-6 loss to Weatherford in nine innings in the first game of a doubleheader.  IHCC led 3-1 after four innings, gave up five runs in the 5th, then came back with three scores in the bottom of the 5th to tie the game up at 6-6.  It stayed that way until the hosts plated two runs in the 9th.  The IHCC offense featured homers by Brooke Snider and Chloe Olson in the first college softball game for both.  Jaylie Reints also went deep for the Warriors, who had nine hits, two apiece for Brittni Lloyd, Snider and Macey Harrington.  Alexis Groet went the distance in the circle and struck out eight while allowing only six hits.  The nightcap against Weatherford was a 10-2 defeat.  Snider went 3-for-3 with another homer and Vanessa Bakley and Lyla Kriegel had the other hits.  Nina Hendricks took the loss.

The first win for coach Diehl came the next day, a 12-5 pasting of Pratt (Kans.) College.  The Warriors spotted Pratt an early 2-0 lead, then scored in each of their next five at-bats.  Snider's robust start to her freshman season continued with two home runs, two singles and six RBIs.  Reints, Harrington and Abigayle Sweet also homered, the first college shots for Harrington and Sweet.  Lloyd, the leadoff hitter, was 3-for-4 with three runs and three stolen bases.  Harrington tripled to go along with her home run and Olson had a two-hit game.  Jordan Hollon, Alexis Westercamp and Bakley all had doubles as part of IHCC's 16-hit attack.  Hendricks was the winning pitcher with relief help from Brittany Terrey.

The Warriors lost two games on Feb. 11 -- 7-0 to Weatherford and 3-2 to Tyler (Tex.).  They managed only two hits, singles by Lloyd and Olson, against Weatherford, and a late rally came up short in the Tyler game.  Lloyd had three more hits against Tyler and Snider had two.  Hollon's two-run double in the 6th cut the IHCC deficit to 3-2, but that's how it ended.  Bakley had three hits.  Groet was a tough-luck losing pitcher.  She struck out nine.

There were two losses on Feb. 13 -- 20-15 to Cisco and 7-4 to Howard.  After dropping a 3-1 game to Alvin on the 15th, the Warriors picked up an 8-4 win over Hill, then lost to Seminole State, 7-3.  The next day, in rainy conditions, the Warriors knocked off Midland and then headed for home.

Diehl said, "The main takeaway I see from this group is we need to improve on our consistency in how we approach every game, how we warm up, how we trust ourselves and each other.  That was the difference-maker in most of our games that didn't go our way.  We saw some great competition while in Texas, numerous rated teams and those that probably should be ranked.  Against these teams we had one inning where we let up and they took advantage of that inning and that was the difference.  Each game led to some really good conversations and were learning opportunities.  Being even-keeled and not getting too high or too low will be key for us as we move forward."

Four games in two days at the Packer Dome in Austin, Minn. are next on the IHCC schedule.  They'll play Kirkwood and Ellsworth on Feb. 23 and Rock Valley (Ill.) and NIACC the next day.