Ottumwa, IA – The Indian Hills Softball team opened its home campaign at R.L. Hellyer Field on Sunday, picking up two impressive victories over Jefferson College (MO). The Warriors took game one 13-5 in five innings before finishing off the Vikings 10-3 in the nightcap.
The win moves the Warriors to 9-11 overall on the year. Indian Hills pounded out 21 hits on the day, including 14 in the game one victory, tied for the second-most in a contest this year. The Warriors made use of the friendly confines of R.L. Hellyer Field, hitting four home runs on the day. In total, eight different players collected a hit in the afternoon sweep.
Sophomore Ava Smith (Waukee, IA/Waukee Northwest) went 5-8 at the dish on Sunday, including a home run in game one while driving in a pair of runs. Fellow sophomore Yarah Zuiver (Zaanstad, Netherlands/Roc Van Amsterdam) delivered two home runs in game one to finish the afternoon with three hits and four RBI.
The Warriors relied on a trio of sophomore arms in the circle to secure the two wins. Ashlynn Sheets (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) and Alivia Ruble (Lacona, IA/Southeast Warren) earned victories on the day while Jordyn Beck (Marion, IA/Linn-Mar) struck out four batters in three innings of relief work.
Making its home debut, the Warriors struck first in the opening game as Smith delivered an RBI single in the bottom half of the first inning. A pair of two-run knocks from Mary-Paige Withers (Le Claire, IA/Pleasant Valley) and Mackenzie Wesson (Colfax, IL/Ridgeview) extended the lead to 5-0 in the third. Zuiver delivered the biggest hit of the game in the fourth, a three-run home run.
The Vikings made a late rally, but back-to-back home runs from Zuiver and Smith in the fifth put the game out of reach.
Wesson and Zuiver both produced four RBI in the win while seven Warriors recorded multi-hit performances.
Sheets secured the opening game victory, striking out a pair of batters in the complete game for her fifth victory of the season.
Indian Hills erupted for six runs in the bottom of the second inning to open game two. A grand slam from freshman Shanna Buford (Donnellson, IA/Central Lee) sparked the Warriors to the early 6-0 advantage.
Ruble kept the Vikings off the board through the first three innings of action before giving way to Beck in the fifth. Beck and Ruble combined for four strikeouts a piece while scattering seven hits throughout the contest.
Touch 'em all, Shanna ?
— Indian Hills Softball (@WarriorSoftball) March 9, 2025
Buford's ????? ???? gives the Warriors a 6-0 lead in the second!@GoHillsTv | #WarriorNation pic.twitter.com/vz9Azki2tk
Smith finished the nightcap 3-3 at the plate, the sophomore's seventh multi-hit game of the year. Smith is now batting a team-best .444 on the year.
The Warriors return to action March 15 with a trip to Danville Area Community College (IL) in Danville, IL for a nonconference doubleheader.
NEW YEAR - WHAT TO KNOW
Fans can keep up the Indian Hills Softball squad all year long through a number of ways:
- X (formerly Twitter): @WarriorSoftball | @IHCCAthletics
- Facebook: Indian Hills Athletics
- Instagram: @IHCC_Softball | @IHCCAthletics
- Youtube: Indian Hills Athletics
- Website: www.indianhillsathletics.com
- Take an inside look to this year's program with the official Indian Hills Media Guide
- Catch up with the history of Indian Hills Softball with the official Indian Hills Softball Record Book
- All home games are played at the R.L. Hellyer Softball Field on the Indian Hills Ottumwa campus.
- Admission is free of charge for all home contests.
HOW TO WATCH
As always, GoHillsTV provides free live broadcasts of all Indian Hills home softball games. Fans can tune in a number of ways all season long:
- Facebook: visit www.facebook.com/gohillstv
- GoHillsTV App: Download the GoHillsTV app on your android or ios device
- Website: https://www.gohillstv.com/browse to catch all live and archived information
- Roku Streaming Device (new): Have a Roku TV or streaming stick? Download the GoHillsTV app to start streaming today!
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