MASON CITY, IA – A back-and-forth nightcap ended with a NIACC three-run walk off homerun allowing the host Trojans to salvage a split of two games with No. 12-rated Indian Hills Saturday. The Warriors did take the four-game series after pairing the 8-0 win in Saturday's opener with Friday's sweep. Nevertheless, IHCC left NIACC Field on a sour note as Anna Lensing's one-out shot to center off of IHCC reliever Alexis Watson handed the Trojans the finale, 11-8.
"As difficult as it is to forget the feeling we had walking off that field in the last game, there was a lot of good that happened this weekend," said IHCC Head Coach Lindsay Diehl. "In the series we scored 41 runs and pounded out 56 hits over four games, and it's hard not to be happy about that. I feel like a broken record saying we have to stay hungry and never take a pitch off, but it's what got us in trouble."
Trouble came in the form of NIACC plating seven runs in the first two innings in game two which put the Warriors squarely behind the proverbial eight-ball, trailing 7-1 after just two frames. The Trojan outburst didn't allow IHCC starter Margot Van Eijl to get out of the second inning as Diehl elected to go to the bullpen after two homeruns in the first three Trojan batters in the second made it 5-0, NIACC. Diehl called on C.J. Banner for the first time in over three weeks as the Warrior right hander has been nursing a wrist injury. Banner ended up tossing four innings in her return, but ultimately neither Banner nor van Eijl would factor in the decision.
"C.J. wasn't as sharp as she needs to be, but we expected that after being out for three weeks," Diehl admitted. "It was great to have her back in the circle, and I know she will keep working towards regaining her usual form."
While Banner settled in over the next three innings, the Warrior offense went to work on digging out of the hole it was in. A five-run spurt in the fourth was highlighted by back-to-back doubles from Kaylee Bix and Anna Voigt, and suddenly the NIACC lead was just one at 7-6.
The Warriors completed the comeback and took the lead in the fifth after a Peyton Moffet double led off the inning followed by Bryanna Mehaffy drawing a walk. Chloe Olson would push Moffet home on a single, and Mehaffy would later score on a ground out, and IHCC looked poised to complete the four-game sweep with just two innings to play.
"I am proud the kids did fight and came back and even took the lead, but then we need to stay locked in," Diehl said.
NIACC wouldn't go away quietly, as the hosts would knot things up in the bottom of the sixth. Banner hit the first batter she faced in the sixth and a Lensing single prompted Diehl to opt for Watson out of the pen. Watson had trouble finding her spots and walked the first two batters she faced, allowing the Trojans to pull even. To Watson's credit, she struck out the next two batters she faced and induced a foul out to escape further damage.
The Warriors were unable to add to their run total in the top of the seventh as IHCC had the go-ahead run at third with two outs in the form of Mehaffy only to see a called third strike end the threat, and the stage was set for Lensing's heroics in the last of the seventh.
Watson (1-2) would surrender a walk and a single before getting the first out on a fly ball to Bix at third. The second and third outs would never materialize, however as Lensing lofted a 1-1 offering from Watson over the fence in center and the four-game sweep was thwarted.
Mehaffy, Olson and Gretta Hartz all had three hits apiece for the Warrior 16-hit attack. Moffet was 2-for-3.
Game one on Saturday used the winning formula that has led to the Warriors 21-5 record thus far: solid starting pitching, explosive offense and air-tight defense.
Malarie Huseman moved to 11-3 on the season, and while she struggled with command in Friday's win, the Warrior ace was back on track on Saturday with a complete game two-hit shutout, and the defense behind her had nary an error.
"Malarie Huseman was a different kid from Friday to Saturday and that is the kind of reflection and growth we need to have after every game no matter what your previous performance was," Diehl said. "I really saw some growth from some kids, and they are starting to embrace what they bring to this team. We have some super talented kids but they have to stay within themselves and what they can do for us to be our best."
The Warrior bats were ready to play long ball in the opener as Bellis, Bix and Hartz all dialed long distance. Bellis' fourth-inning bomb was her team leading seventh on the season, while Hartz tagged her fifth on the year in the second inning, a three-run job. Bix's two-run blast came in the fifth inning and was her first collegiate round-tripper.
Bellis went 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored. Bix was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
"The kids really are learning and headed in the right direction," Diehl said. "I'm looking forward to what the next six weeks look like for us as a team."
Indian Hills sits atop the ICCAC standings with a 13-3 league mark. The Warriors will face Southwestern on Monday in Creston as the two teams play a rescheduled doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. NIACC moves to 6-10 on the season and 4-10 in the league.
GAME ONE
Indian Hills 130 22 – 8 11 0
NIACC 000 00 – 0 2 1
WP – Malarie Huseman (11-3), LP – Kayla Sproul
(3B – Mehaffy; HR – Bellis, Bix, Hartz; RBI – Bellis 3, Bix 2, Hartz 3; SAC – Mehaffy)
GAME TWO
Indian Hills 100 520 0 – 8 16 0
NIACC 250 001 3 – 11 11 2
WP – Kayla Sproul, LP – Alexis Watson (1-2)
(2B – Bix, Moffet, Voigt; RBI – Bellis, Bix, Jevyak, Moffet, Olson, Voigt 2; SB – Hartz 2, Mehaffy)