In a game you heard on the Mahaska Zone Network, the Oskaloosa softball squad took their 13-0 record to the field against the two-time defending state champion Dallas Center-Grimes Fillies looking to get the win and put themselves in good position in the conference. In the top of the first, Oskaloosa plated the first run of the game off starter Allie Boender with an RBI single by Aubrey Miller to score Kylee Silliman. Dallas Center-Grimes would grab their first run of the game in the bottom of the second after a couple of hard hit balls into centerfield. Oskaloosa’s defense would come through, however, throwing out another potential runner at the plate to keep the game tied.
The teams would go back and forth into the top of the seventh inning where the bottom third of the Indian order was due up. Number seven hitter Alexis Groet reached on a fielding error, which brought up number eight hitter Alexis Vroegh with a runner on and no outs. On an 0-1 count after a failed bunt attempt Vroegh made contact and drove the ball over the left-center field fence to give Oskaloosa a 3-1 lead. It’s Vroegh’s first home run of the year. She now has 10 RBI. She entered the contest as Oskaloosa’s leading hitter. Oskaloosa would hold off DCG in the bottom of the seventh, stranding two runners on after right handed pitcher Alexis Groet induced a groundout to record the final out.
The win puts Oskaloosa at 14-0 this season and 3-0 in the Little Hawkeye Conference. Dallas Center-Grimes fell to 9-4 and 2-2 in the conference. The Indians are #2 in the Iowa High School Girls’ Athletic Union rankings this week in Class 4A, and with #1 Fort Dodge having lost four games in the early going and a big win over #3 Dallas Center-Grimes, Head Coach Jay Harms and his team have a legitimate claim to their first #1 ranking in team history. The girls are next in action in a single varsity game against Newton on Friday.
The Oskaloosa baseball team also played in a thriller last night, but fell for the first time this year. The final score was 3-2 with DCG on top, but the game took 12 innings to complete. The Indians are now 7-1 so far this year, and face Newton on the road Friday.
