Indees slide by Norse to take DC lead
Independence/Gilmanton’s Ben Pyka got around a tag attempt from Whitehall’s Eric Kleinhans during their game last Friday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
Preston Schroeder of Whitehall eyed a flyball during their game against Independence/Gilmanton on Friday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
While there is a lot of baseball yet to be played, Independence/Gilmanton took a big step toward a Dairyland Conference title with a win over Whitehall last week.
Both I/G and Whitehall entered the game undefeated in DC play, having already knocked off some of the other expected top contenders. Both teams had their top pitchers on the mound, but it was the Indees that came away with an 8-2 victory.
The win put the Indees at 4-0 in DC play as they’re the last team without a conference loss, while Whitehall sits at 4-1. Both teams have nonconference losses on the season.
The Indees (4-2) had another game against another contender on Monday when Eleva-Strum came to town, they’re also slated to host Alma Center Lincoln on Tuesday before heading to Melrose-Mindoro on Thursday and back home against Pepin/Alma on Friday.
Whitehall (4-2) was set to play at Blair-Taylor on Tuesday and at home against Alma Center Lincoln on Thursday before going to Cochrane-Fountain City on Friday.
I/G 8 Whitehall 2
A five-run fifth inning put the Indees in control.
Both teams scored one run in the fourth as they entered the late stages of the game tied. The first three I/G batters reached base in the fifth inning before a strikeout for the first out. I/G’s Ben Pyka then took a ball from Whitehall pitcher Devon McCune on a full count to give the Indees the lead.
A hit batter brought home another run before an outfield error scored three, putting the Indees in control with a 6-1 lead. I/G added another run on a passed ball in the sixth.
Bryce Schorbahn doubled to score McCune and bring the Norse within five at 7-2, but the Indees got the run back on an RBI single by Tyler Kingsbury in the top of the seventh.
The Norse couldn’t catch up to Indees’ ace Hunter Guenther, who struck out 11 with two walks and two hits allowed in six innings of work. Brandon Sylla closed out the game in the seventh.
McCune took the loss, pitching 4.1 innings with five strikeouts and two walks, four of the runs charged to him were unearned. Brayden Lisowski pitched the next two innings before Seth Lambeck closed out the game. Only two of I/G’s runs were earned as Whitehall was charged with three errors.
Lisowski and Schorbahn were the only Norse players to get hits.
