Warriors Show They Can Win With Arms and Bats

Warriors Show They Can Win With Arms and Bats

A double header originally scheduled for Saturday, April 6 against Indian Hills was moved up to Friday, April 5. It was the first time the Warriors and Tigers had seen each other this year. After the contests, the home team has to have a healthy respect for how dangerous the Warriors can be with their pitching staff and their bats, but they also showed an ability to compete with Indian Hills.

Game 1

Game one was all about one thing… a dominating pitching performance from Alexi Groet of the Warriors.

Groet is a freshman from Oskaloosa, IA. On Friday, the freshman threw nearly as well as statistically possible as she threw a complete game (6 innings), no hitter. Groet walked the second batter of the game, McKaylee Dawson, on a 3-2 count. After that, she was flawless. She struck out nine batters on the day.

The Tigers sent their own freshman to the circle. McKaylee Dawson got the start in game one. Dawson also lasted six innings, but the Warriors scored eight runs on ten hits and three walks to claim an 8-0 win in game one.

Game 2

Game two looked much more promising for the Tigers from the start. The Tigers got the scoring started in the second inning as Ashley Tennant, Kylie Swan, and DJ Schmidt all strung together hits before the Warriors could record an out. Schmidt's double scored both Tennant and Swan. Schmidt was eventually driven in by fellow sophomore, Kaylee Hanks and after two innings of play, the Tigers led 3-0.

Another scoreless inning of work by Ashley Tennant sent the Tigers back to the plate looking to expand the lead. And that they did as after a strikeout by AnnaMarie Armstrong, Taylor Hipsley Walked. Ashley Tennant then helped her own cause as she took the first pitch of the at bat deep for a two-run shot and made the score 5-0. The blast caused the Warriors to go to the bullpen and bring in Jakala Hall.

Hall got her first two batters, Swan and Schmidt to each ground out 4-3, but the Tigers led 5-0.

The Warriors got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a solo shot by Jalie Reints. The Tigers were unable to answer in the home half of the fourth, but still led 5-1.

Then things got dicey as the Indian Hills bats came to life. The Warriors would go on to send 31 batters to the plate in the final three innings. Of the 31, 12 of them recorded hits, 9 of them reached on balls, 1 reached on an error. Most importantly 15 of them scored.

Meanwhile, the Tigers' bats didn't stay hot as they scored only two more runs and the Warriors took game two, 16-7.