Indees use strong pitching, late offense to advance

Strong pitching kept Independence/Gilmanton in control long enough for the bats to wake up as the Indees pulled away late in two wins to capture a regional championship last week.

The Indees were scoreless through four innings with Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Tuesday, but the team put up two runs in the fifth inning of a 3-0 win. No. 3 I/G scored one run early against No. 7 Elmwood/Plum City — which upset No. 2 Gilman on Tuesday — but it wasn’t until the fourth that the Indees took control for a 10-0 win. 

The wins put I/G’s season record at 10-9, but the team has been playing well lately, having won six of its last seven games. Next up is a familiar opponent as I/G played at No. 1 Blair-Taylor in the Division Five WIAA sectional semifinal on Tuesday. The winner of that game will play in the sectional final, which is scheduled to be played at B-T on Thursday. 

I/G 3 ECI 0

The Indees finally broke through in the fifth inning to pull off the win.

The teams were scoreless entering the bottom of the fifth as the Indees had stranded runners in every inning. That changed when Hannah Ekern ripped a triple through the infield to score Hadley Sylla. Ekern later scored on an error.

I/G added another run in the sixth when Nora Schank walked to lead off and scored on an error. 

Schank was the winning pitcher, striking out six while holding the Lancers to two hits and one walk in the shutout.

I/G had six hits, including two by Hannah Ekern. 

I/G 10 E/PC 0

It took I/G some time to get going again, but this time the team already had a lead before breaking the game wide open with an eight-run fourth inning, which included a grand slam.

I/G took the lead on an RBI double by Katelyn Kampa in the bottom of the first inning. The score remained 1-0 until the fourth when I/G began the inning with three straight singles, the third of which, by Harper Symicek, drove in a run. 

After another run scored on a fielder’s choice, Hailey Gruber hit an RBI single to make the score 4-0. That brought up Hannah Ekern with the bases loaded. Ekern took the first pitch for a ball, then sent the second over the right field fence for a grand slam. Symicek added another RBI single later in the inning to put I/G ahead 9-0.

Kampa ended the game by the mercy rule in the sixth with a walk-off home run to center field. 

Hadley Sylla, Kampa, Danika Ekern, Schank, and Symicek all had two hits in the game for I/G. Kampa and Symicek drove in two runs and Hannah Ekern had four RBIs.

Schank was also the winning pitcher, again showing command with 10 strikeouts to only one walk. The Wolves managed just four hits in the game.