Indees split with Cardinals, Norse

A close loss was followed by a close win as the Independence/Gilmanton baseball team earned a split in Dairyland Conference play last week.

The Indees struggled defensively in a 7-5 loss against Eleva-Strum last week Tuesday. On Thursday, however, they pitched a shutout, keeping a high-powered Whitehall offense off the board for a 2-0 win.

I/G was scheduled to play at Cochrane-Fountain City on Monday of this week before hosting Melrose-Mindoro on Tuesday, going to Pepin/Alma on Thursday and welcoming Augusta on Friday. 

This coming Monday, the Indees are slated to host Augusta with a road doubleheader against Blair-Taylor on Tuesday and a game at Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Thursday. 

E-S 7 I/G 5

The Indees made a late push with four runs in the final two innings, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Gael Leon singled and Hunter Guenther doubled to start the sixth. Two batters later, Brandon Sylla singled as the Indees scored two in the inning.

Ben Pyka walked to start the seventh. After a strikeout, Wyatt Kuerschner walked to put two on. Leon singled before a sacrifice by Guenther. Tyler Brantner then singled as the Indees were within two with the tying run on base, but they couldn’t bring him home.

Independence got off to a fast start as Leon singled with one out in the top of the first. Guenther and Brantner followed with singles to bring Leon home. 

Leon and Guenther both had three hits for the Indees while Brantner had two.

No further information was reported to the Times. 

I/G 2 Whitehall 0

The Indees scored just enough as Sylla shut the Whitehall offense down.

The Norse had scored more than 10 runs in both of their first two games, but Sylla held them to two hits and one walk while striking out nine.

The Indees got on the board early as Ben Pyka reached on an error and scored on a single by Hunter Guenther. 

The only time Whitehall had a runner in scoring position was the sixth inning when Devon McCune walked with one out, moved to second on a groundout and stole third. That inning ended with a groundout. 

I/G’s second run came in the bottom of the sixth when Wyatt Kuerschner led off with a single and scored on a double by Carlos Montalvo. 

Brayden Lisowski reached with two outs in the top of the seventh, but a strikeout ended the game.

McCune took the loss, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out eight. 

Guenther had two of I/G’s four hits.