The Oskaloosa baseball team got their season officially underway on Tuesday night against Knoxville and were able to get the clean sweep, winning by scores of 12-8 and 7-6 in games you heard on the Mahaska Zone Network.

In Game One, Knoxville got off to a fast start, getting two runs off of Osky starter Bennett Spry. The Indian offense would bounce back quickly, however, as they would plate eight runs before the end of the third inning. The damage was done mainly due to defensive miscues by the Panthers, who had six total errors in the first game.

Knoxville would battle back to cut the lead to one at 8-7 in the fifth before Seth Sarver came on in relief for Osky and turned back the rally with a huge strikeout and a groundout. The Indians would get four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, and hold on for the win, 12-8.

Osky was outhit 10-4, but did not commit a defensive error in support of Spry, Joe Sterner, and Sarver on the mound. The only Indian with multiple hits was sophomore Blake VanVeldhuizen, who was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Casey Hill also scored a run running for VanVeldhuizen. Sterner would have two RBI in the game.

In the second game, Oskaloosa again would get off to a fast start, scoring six runs in the first two innings to take a quick 6-2 lead in support of freshman pitcher Rian Yates. Yates would labor through the third inning, however, surrendering four runs, which would tie the game at 6.

The frosh would gamely battle to give Head Coach Clint Gingrich five strong innings, as he shut down the Panther offense to give his team a chance to take the lead. That’s exactly what happened in the bottom of the 4^th, as with two outs, Bennett Spry would single, steal second, and advance to third on a balk. Number three hitter Ethan Arnold would rope a ball off the wall in left field for the RBI that would prove to be the difference.

Peyton Crouse would pitch the last two innings for the Indians to get the six-out save and lock down the win for Yates in his first varsity start.

Oskaloosa is 2-0 on the season, and will next be in action on Thursday at Martensdale-St. Marys.

The next broadcast of the Oskaloosa baseball team will be this Friday as the Indians host Winterset in a single varsity game. First pitch will be around 7:30 PM, with the pregame show beginning around 7:15 on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, the KMZN mobile app, and radiokmzn.com.

In other softball scores from last night in the area:

Centerville 12, Moulton-Udell 2
Centerville 20, Moulton-Udell 0
Colfax-Mingo 15, Lynnville-Sully 4
Eddyville-Blakesburg 5, Moravia 1
Fairfield 11, Cardinal, Eldon 1
Fairfield 7, Cardinal, Eldon 0
Greene County 5, PCM, Monroe 4
HLV, Victor 4, BGM, Brooklyn 1
HLV, Victor 9, BGM, Brooklyn 6
Montezuma 9, North Mahaska 6
Ottumwa 10, Fort Madison 2
Ottumwa 7, Fort Madison 1

The Oskaloosa Boys Soccer team suffered a 2-1 loss at Carlisle yesterday in the opening round of the Class 2A Substate Tournament, a game you heard on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN and radiokmzn.com.  Oskaloosa freshman Nicholas Walter scored the game’s first goal off an assist from Connor Swim on a beautiful cross from the left corner a little over 14 minutes into the first half.  Oskaloosa held that 1-0 lead until Carlisle scored the equalizer with 7:35 left in the second half.  No one added to that for either team and after 80 minutes of soccer, regulation ended in a 1-1 tie.  Both teams then fought through two 10 minute overtime periods with no additional scores forcing a penalty kick shootout where each team gets up to five penalty kicks to decide a winner.  Carlisle found the back of the net on each of their first four while Oskaloosa scored on just one of their first three giving Carlisle a 2-1 win.   Oskaloosa ends their season at 4-13 overall.

You can hear the Oskaloosa Girls’ Soccer team in action this Thursday for their first game in regionals against Washington. That game will be contested at the Lacey Recreation Complex with the first kick coming right around 4 PM. The pregame show will be at 3:45 on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, the KMZN mobile app, and radiokmzn.com.

Last night was the first night of the summer sports season, and there were several area teams in action.

In the first Mahaska Zone Network Softball Game of the Week on 104.9 FM KBOE, Montezuma defeated North Mahaska in New Sharon by a score of 9-6 in a hard fought battle of up-and-coming teams in the South Iowa Cedar League.

The first few innings were marked by great pitching from Warhawk starter Emma Deucore and Bravette starter Hanna Jones.

The North Mahaska bats would get going in the 4^th inning, plating a couple of runs, but Jones and the defense for Monte would get out of a jam that could have extended that damage. That was a big development, because the Montezuma offense would explode for four runs in the 6^th and 7^th innings after scoring once in the 5^th.

In the 6^th, the big blow was a pinch-hit three-run homer from junior Alexis Maki that gave the Bravettes a 5-2 lead. In the 7^th, Breck Goodman hit a big two-run double to help extend the advantage, as Monte took a 9-2 lead into the bottom of the 7^th.

North Mahaska would not go quietly, however, as they would send nine batters to the plate and score four runs. Representing the tying run, junior Jensen Kelderman bounced out to second base to end the rally, and the game.

Montezuma got a great performance from Goodman, who was 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 3 RBI. North Mahaska freshman pitcher Emma Deucore had a strong outing with 11 strikeouts despite the loss, and was 2 for 4 with an RBI at the plate.

Monte is back in action on Wednesday against perennial powerhouse Lynnville-Sully at home. North Mahaska will play at home on Wednesday against BGM.

Our next Softball Game of the Week will be on Monday, June 6^th, as Lynnville-Sully hosts Belle Plaine. Our first Baseball Game of the Week will be this Friday, as North Mahaska travels to face Lynnville-Sully.

You can hear all of the Game of the Week broadcasts on 104.9 FM KBOE, on the KBOE mobile app, and on kboeradio.com. The pregame show begins around 5:45.