Indees rally past Raiders for non-conference win

Four Arcadia errors in the last two innings helped the Independence/Gilmanton baseball team pick up the come-from-behind win on Friday.

Arcadia, playing in its first game, had a 2-0 lead, but three straight Arcadia errors were followed by a double in the sixth inning. The Indees took the lead in the top of the seventh with three runs, all scored with two outs.

The win put I/G at 2-0 on the season with wins over Coulee Conference teams (see win over Luther elsewhere in Sports). They were scheduled to host Durand on Tuesday of this week before heading to Augusta on Thursday and welcoming Blair-Taylor on Friday. 

Arcadia (0-1) was in action again at home against Eleva-Strum on Monday. Tuesday they’ll head to Black River Falls before going to Luther on Thursday. 

I/G 5 Arcadia 2

I/G’s rally began with a dropped pop up.

With one out in the top of the sixth inning, I/G’s Wyatt Kuerschner hit a high pop up that stayed in the infield. A miscommunication by the Arcadia infield left first baseman Logan Scow — who had just been substituted into the game — diving in an attempt to make the catch, but the ball fell to the ground.

That was followed by two more errors on balls that didn’t leave the infield. 

Arcadia still looked to be in good shape as Vince Braun got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but AJ Montreusl hit a line drive that Ryan Sokup dove for, but came up empty. Two runs scored before Tyler Kingsbury was tagged out at home.

Ben Pyka got I/G’s offense started in the seventh as he singled. After a groundout for the second out of the inning, Hunter Guenther doubled in Sokup to put the Indees ahead. Carlos Montalvo added a single before another hit put the Indees ahead 5-2.

The Raiders got one runner on in the bottom of the seventh, but the lead was not challenged. 

Arcadia took advantage of I/G mistakes for its runs. A two-out error allowed Cam Boland to reach base. Carson Martin then singled him home before scoring himself on an error hit into by Connor Weltzien. 

The teams combined for 12 errors in the game, seven by Arcadia and five by I/G. 

Braun took the loss for the Raiders, pitching 2.2 innings with four hits and one walk allowed. He struck out three as only two of the runs he allowed were earned. 

Weltzien started for Arcadia, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Prestin Scow finished the game, allowing two hits with one strikeout.

Guenther got the win for the Indees as he came on in the fifth and struck out the side with runners already on first and second. 

Brandon Sylla got the start, tossing three innings with five strikeouts and zero walks. Pyka pitched 3.2 innings with 10 strikeouts, two walks and one hit allowed. 

Arcadia had just three hits in the game, all by Martin who was three-for-three.

Guenther led the Indees with two hits as they totaled seven.