Indees drop two before routing Hornets, Beavers

It was a tough start to the week for the Independence/Gilmanton baseball team, but it finished on a high note.

The Indees struggled all around in a 19-2 loss to Eau Claire Regis last week Monday. On Tuesday, the team struck out 21 times in a 6-1 loss to Blair-Taylor (see story elsewhere in Sports). But the team got it turned around with two lopsided wins, beating Alma Center Lincoln, 10-2, on Thursday and Augusta, 15-2, on Friday.

I/G began this week with a 4-3 overall record, 3-2 in Dairyland Conference play. They were slated to host defending DC champion Eleva-Strum on Tuesday before welcoming Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Thursday. This coming Tuesday, they’ll play at ACL again before heading to Pepin/Alma next Thursday. 

EC Regis 19 I/G 2

The Ramblers came out swinging with five runs in the first inning as the Indees struggled to keep them off the board.

Regis began the game with three straight hits to bring in one run. After two more runs came home, they hit a two-run home run to take a 5-0 lead. 

Eric Rojas Lopez scored on a passed ball for the Indees in the bottom of the first, but they weren’t able to keep up. Regis scored five more runs on four hits and three errors in the second. They added four runs on three hits in the third, then hit two home runs and stole home for another run in the fourth, taking a 19-1 lead.

The Indees scored again in the bottom of the fourth when Xavier Santillian stole home.

Chase Back had two of I/G’s four hits in the game.

Rojas Lopez took the loss, pitching the first inning. Ricky Lopez and Payton Hovey also pitched in the game as Regis managed 15 hits and two walks in the game. 

I/G 10 AC Lincoln 2

Two I/G pitchers combined for a no-hitter as the Indees picked up a win.

Chase Back got the start and the win, tossing the first five innings with six strikeouts while allowing three walks. Ricky Lopez pitched the final two frames walking two and striking out two. 

The Indees took control with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Back hit into an error, bringing Rojas Lopez home for the first run. Sylla and Back both stole home for more runs before Santillian stole home for a fourth.

Payton Hovey led off the second with a walk and eventually came around to score. 

ACL’s first run came off of two walks and a steal of home. I/G got that back plus one more in the bottom of the fourth. They added another in the fifth and two in the sixth as Hovey doubled Lopez home and scored himself on a balk. 

Six different I/G players had one hit and patience paid off as the team earned 10 walks.

I/G 15 Augusta 2

The Indees scored five runs in the top of the first inning then pulled away with four in the fifth and sixth innings.

Carlos Montalvo and Santillian had consecutive RBI hits in the first inning. Lopez had a one-run single in the second, making the score 7-2. Rojas Lopez, Nathan Pyka and Santillian had RBI singles in the fifth and Montalvo tripled. Montalvo added two more RBIs in the sixth.

Montalvo finished with five RBIs on three hits, while Santillian had three RBIs on three hits. The Indees had 17 hits in the game.

Sylla got the win, pitching a complete game with nine strikeouts while holding the Beavers to two hits and one walk.