Norfolk, NE – A two-run ninth inning propelled the Indian Hills Baseball team to a thrilling come-from-behind conference victory over Northeast Community College on Monday. The Warriors upended the Hawks 3-2 to take the three-game league series two games to one.
Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the ninth, the Warriors saw its leading hitter Daniel Figueroa (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Leadership Christian Academy) spark the offense with a leadoff single. A line drive to right field from Raul Torres (Caguas, Puerto Rico/Leadership Christian Academy) led to a misplayed ball that allowed Figueroa to score from first for the tying run.
Torres, who advanced to third on a misplayed ball, scored on the next at bat as Andrew Srebroski (York Haven, PA/Northeastern) delivered a sacrifice fly to center for the go-ahead run. The RBI proved to be the first of Srebroski's career for the Warriors.
Sophomore Sam Hart (Highlands Ranch, CO/ThunderRidge) took the mound in the bottom of the ninth and struck out all three batters he faced to close out the game for the Warriors.
The win moves the Warriors to 23-10 on the year and 14-5 in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC), just 0.5 games out of first place. Indian Hills has now won six of its last seven contests on the year.
Figueroa, who ignited the offense in the ninth, scored his 100th career run as a member of the Warrior program just one day after collecting his 100th career hit. Figueroa becomes just the third Indian Hills player in the last 10 years to reach the 100-hit, 100-run milestones, joining Ryan Humeniuk (2017-18) and Luis Gimenez (2016-17). Figueroa finished the game with two hits for his 12th multi-hit game of the year.
Hart's flawless ninth inning gave the sophomore his ninth save on the year, the third most in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) this year. Hart owns a 1.88 earned run average on the year to go along with a 15.70 K/9 rate.
Torres finished the game with a pair of hits and two stolen bases while freshman Ciro Benavides (Laredo, TX/Alexander) went 2-4 at the plate to aid in the Warriors' 10-hit attack.
Freshman Carlos Valenzuela (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Global Life Vision) earned the win on the hill after pitching two scoreless frames of relief. Sophomore Greg Campos (Laredo, TX/United South) got the start and went six innings with just the two earned runs to go along with four strikeouts.
Indian Hills heads to Iowa Falls, IA for a single 9-inning ICCAC contest Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 PM.
A big weekend for milestones ��
— Indian Hills Baseball (@IHCCBaseball) April 17, 2023
⚾️ Daniel Figueroa | 100th career hit, 100th career run scored
⚾️ Jack Nelson | 100th career strikeout pic.twitter.com/w9rkRx6aBV