OTTUMWA, IA – No. 15-rated Indian Hills divided a pair of games with Southeastern Tuesday afternoon at R.L. Hellyer Field.  The Warriors fell 7-3 in the opener and rebounded to take game two, 3-1.

The opener saw the Warriors down 3-2 heading to the seventh, but in the blink of an eye, Southeastern took advantage of an extra out to plate four more runs to make it 7-2, and the mountain became too large for the hosts to climb. 

"The games with SCC were a good challenge," admitted IHCC Head Coach Lindsay Diehl. "Unfortunately, we did not rise to the occasion in game one."

After seeing the visitors jump out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Warriors had plated a run of their own on a Nicole Bellis double that brought home Peyton Moffet to cut it to 2-1.  Southeastern would extend it to 3-1 in the third, but Breanna Newton belted her second homerun in as many days, her fourth on the season, to keep the Warriors within one at 3-2. 

Starter Malarie Huseman (11-5) kept IHCC close until the final frame, but an infield error in the seventh left the door open just a crack for the Blackhawks, and SCC made it hurt.  Lydia Allen-Barnes scored on what should have been a game-enidng groundout, and then an Abigayle Miller double and a Trinity Krabill two-run shot to centerfield made it 7-2..

 "We didn't make the adjustments we needed to put more runs on the board and didn't take advantage of some defensive opportunities to get out of innings which led to more runs from SCC," Diehl added.

The Warriors tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh with hits from Kaylee Bix, Moffet and Maddy Findley that produced a run to bring it to 7-3.  With two outs and two on, IHCC had a glimmer of hope as a red-hot Bellis was at the plate and the tying run on deck in the form of Chloe Olson.  SCC reliever Morgan Flowers induced a fly ball to center from Bellis and the Blackhawks had secured their second upset victory over the Warriors in under a week's time.

Moffet led IHCC at the plate with a pair of hits and a walk. Mehaffy, Findley, Bellis, Hannah Poortinga, Newton, and Bix all had a hit for the Warriors.

Huseman (11-5) suffered losses in consecutive outings for the first time this season.  Huseman went the distance surrendering seven runs, three earned on eight hits, two walks while striking out two.

Game two allowed Indian Hills to salvage the split in the twinbill as the Warriors parlayed a pair of homers into just enough offense to hold off Southeastern (15-14, 6-12).

Bix drilled a second-inning Keziah Stutzman offering over the fence in center to make it 2-0 and sophomore Chloe Olson nailed her eighth homer of the season in the bottom of the fourth to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

IHCC starter Margot van Eijl was rolling in the nightcap as the right hander gave up just a single run in the bottom of the sixth as a leadoff walk came around to score on a pair of Blackhawk singles.

"Margot did a nice job on the mound and is getting more and more comfortable with the ball," Diehl added.

Van Eijl, now 8-0 on the season, allowed just five hits and a walk on two strikeouts.

In addition to the Bix and Olson homers, the Warriors got pair of hits each from Bellis and Poortinga, and a single from Newton.

"I was happy with coming back and getting the split but I still didn't see kids making the adjustments at the plate that we need to," Diehl said. "This group has to really come together as a team and start to have some fight and play with grit for seven innings, first pitch to last pitch. We still have time and I look forward to the growth that is yet to come."

The Warriors (23-7, 15-5) will be back on the diamond at R.L. Hellyer Field this weekend as IHCC hosts Ellwsorth for a four-game set on Saturday and Sunday.  First pitch Saturday is 1 p.m. and things will get underway on Sunday at noon.

GAME ONE

Southeastern            201 000 4 – 7  8  0

Indian Hills              100 100  1 – 3  8  2

WP – Ariana Ramirez, LP – Malarie Huseman (11-5), SV – Morgan Flowers

(2B – Nicole Bellis;  RBI – Bellis, Findley, Newton;  HBP – Moffet)

GAME TWO

Southeastern           000 001 0 – 1  5  1

Indian Hills              020 100 x – 3  7  2

WP – Margo van Eijl (8-0),  LP – Keziah Stutzman

(HR – Bix, Olson;  RBI – Bix 2, Olson)