JUCO softball: IHCC sweeps State Fair

Ottumwa Courier, Iowa
·2 min read

Apr. 10—SEDALIA, Mo. — The Indian Hills softball team earned two non-league wins on Saturday to extend its season-high win streak to 17 games. The Warriors dropped State Fair Community College 9-3 and 17-1 to improve to 24-6 on the year.

The Warriors, receiving votes in the latest national poll, have not lost a contest since March 20 and have now posted back-to-back seasons with at least one 17-game winning streak, and the third time in the last four complete seasons. During this year's stretch, the Warriors have outscored their opposition 175-48, an average of 10.3 runs per contest.

Saturday's doubleheader saw the Warriors pound out 34 hits on the day, the most in a two-game span this year. The 18 hits produced in the nightcap on Saturday are the second-most for a Warrior team this year.

The Warriors saw three hits apiece from Claire Tipton, Tatum Argaon, Destiny Lewis and Abby Martin to pace the attack. Tipton drove in a career-high four runs, including a home run to lead the Warrior offense.

Sophomore Madie Anderson recorded the win in the circle, her eighth of the year with seven strikeouts. Thea Banning allowed just one hit in 1 1/3 innings of relief work.

The Warriors erupted for 17 runs in the nightcap, the team's third double-digit run total in its last four contests. Freshman Hannah Simpson led the barrage with a 4-4 effort at the plate. Lewis added two hits, including a home run. The sophomore All-American has now hit a home run in each of the team's last four contests.

Freshman Julia Kwakernaak went 4-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, falling a triple shy of the cycle. Freshman Jill Smith added a home run at the plate for the Warriors.

Sophomre Ryann Cheek spun a gem in the circle with just one hit allowed in three innings of work. All nine outs for Cheek came by way of a strikeout. The southpaw has allowed just one earned run in her last 12 innings of work, a span that includes 20 strikeouts to just three walks. On the year, Cheek is 6-2 with a 1.30 earned run average and 48 punchouts.