Ottumwa, IA – Breanna Newton (Bettendorf, IA/Bettendorf) delivered a walk-off hit in game one and Ryann Cheek (Eldridge, IA/North Scott) struck out 12 in the nightcap to lead Indian Hills Softball to a sweep of Kirkwood Community College at R.L. Hellyer Field on Tuesday.
With the two wins, the Warriors extend their winning streak to 24 games in a row, matching the 2019 team who also won 24 straight. Indian Hills, who received votes in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Softball Poll, improve to 27-6 overall on the year and have not lost since March 2. The pair of wins also extends the Warriors home winning streak to 20 games dating back to April 18 of last season.
Two days removed from outscoring Southeastern Community College 26-0 in a doubleheader sweep, the Warriors found themselves in a pitching duel in game one vs. Kirkwood. Starting pitcher Madi Huisman (Ankeny, IA/Ankeny Centennial), this week's Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Pitcher of the Week, allowed just three baserunners through the first three frames.
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third, Maddy Findley (Knoxville, IA/Knoxville) delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Abbi Cataldo (Altoona, IA/Southeast Polk) for the game's first run. Huisman kept the Eagles in check with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, but Kirkwood responded in the sixth with a run to tie the game.
Cataldo recorded her second hit of the game, a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh to set the stage for the Warriors. After Cataldo reached third on a ground out, Newton drove a two-out, 0-1 pitch to the right-center gap that fell in for the walk-off win.
Cataldo, Newton, Findley, and Gracie Jevyak (Davenport, IA/Davenport Assumption) all tallied two hits in the win. Cataldo boasted two doubles to go along with both runs in the game one victory.
The Warrior pitching staff received another dominant performance in game two, this time from Cheek. The freshman hurler retired the first nine batters, striking out six as Indian Hills took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the first from Findley.
After Kirkwood tied the game at one in the top of the fourth, the Warriors broke it open with five runs in the bottom half of the frame. With the bases loaded, the Warriors took advantage of an Eagle miscue to clear the bases and take a 6-1 lead.
The Eagles chipped away at the deficit, but Cheek managed to elude the rally and come out with the win, the freshman's fourth victory of the year. Cheek scattered seven hits while picking up the 12 strikeouts.
Sydney Anderson (Elkhart, IA/North Polk) went 2-3 at the plate with two runs scored for the Warriors.
The Warriors now head to Creston, IA for an ICCAC doubleheader with Southwestern Community College. Originally scheduled for April 18, the two teams will square off on April 14 for a doubleheader set to begin at 2:00 PM.