Piche Tabbed Big 12 Newcomer of the Year

CENTERVILLE --- Former Indian Hills baseball player Jordan Piche certainly made an impression in his first season of NCAA Division I competition.  Now at Kansas University, Piche was named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year and was also selected to the All-Big 12 First Team.

A righthanded pitcher from Greeley, Colorado, Piche capped his junior season at KU by appearing in all four of the Jayhawks’ games in the Big 12 Championship this past weekend.  And Piche continued his stellar pitching out of the KU bullpen, hurling shutout baseball in those four contests.  He allowed only five hits in a total of six innings, with no walks and six strikeouts.

The Jayhawks, thanks to Piche, went undefeated in pool play and advanced to the championship game where they were beaten by Oklahoma.

Piche ended the season with a 6-4 record and a 1.68 ERA and recorded 12 saves in 32 appearances.  In 64 1/3 innings, he allowed only 53 hits and 12 earned runs with 49 Ks and 10 walks.

The former all-region pitcher at IHCC finished his first Big 12 season with a 3-3 record and five saves in league play en route to the Newcomer of the Year honors.  He is only the second Jayhawk to claim the award.  Piche was the recipient of  three Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors this spring, becoming the first player to earn more than two in a single season since the award began in 2011.

“It’s a great compliment to the year Jordan had,” Kansas head coach Ritch Price said about the postseason honors.  “Look at the impact he’s made on our team………we finished 12-12 in our league largely because he’s been so special at the back end of our games.”

Piche was 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and five saves as a freshman for the Falcons and, after being moved into the starting rotation fulltime, posted a 9-4 record and 2.66 ERA his sophomore season.

Nine Falcons Earn All-Region Honors

Centerville --  Nine members of the Indian Hills baseball team were named to the All-Region squads announced by the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.  The Falcons had three first-team choices, five players on the second team and an honorable mention selection.

Representing IHCC on the first team are sophomore pitcher Jake Stalzer (Albia, Ia.), sophomore first baseman Taylor Ostrich (Carroll, Ia.) and freshman outfielder Caleb Ratzman (Winneconne, Wis.).

Second-team picks are pitcher Christian Torres (Canovanas, Puerto Rico), infielders Tyler Hermann (Eau Claire, Wis.), Junior Santos (Lynn, Mass.) and Dario Polanco (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), and outfielder Joel Booker (Columbus, N.C.).  Hermann is the only sophomore in that group.

Sophomore catcher Kevin Cicali (Absecon, N.J.) made the honorable mention list.

Stalzer and Ostrich received all-region recognition for the second straight year.  Ostrich was second team as a freshman and Stalzer was honorable mention.

Ostrich and Ratzman were key contributors in an IHCC offense that was much-improved over the 2012 unit.  Ratzman led the team in hitting with a .372 average, stole 28 bases in 31 attempts and had an on-base percentage of .522.  Ostrich led the region in RBIs with 41 and hit .345 with 14 doubles and four homers.

Stalzer posted a 4-3 record with a 3.14 ERA.  He struck out 56 in 51 2/3 innings.  Torres also won four games (4-2) and fashioned a 2.38 ERA, allowing only 27 hits in 41 2/3 innings pitched.

The other four second-team picks all had solid offensive years.  Hermann hit .336 with 40 RBIs; Santos had a .366 batting average and team highs in doubles (15), triples (four) and hits (56) along with a .575 slugging percentage; Polanco batted .352 with four homers and 38 RBIs; and Booker recorded 31 RBIs, three home runs and a .365 average.

Cicali was productive while playing in 22 games, hitting .369 with 19 RBIs.

Season Ends with Loss to MCC

Muscatine, IA -- The Indian Hills Falcons staged a come-from-behind victory in their first game of the Region 11 postseason tournament, but couldn't duplicate the win the second day of the tourney and saw their season end short of the championship game.

The Falcons scored twice in the bottom of the 8th to win a 4-3 decision against Marshalltown on Friday.  That put IHCC in the winner's bracket and earned them a shot at Iowa Western on Saturday.  IWCC posted a 6-2 win in that contest and Marshalltown then turned the tables on the Falcons by coming from behind for a 10-6 final.

Junior Santos started the game-winning rally Friday with a leadoff single.  Taylor Ostrich brought Santos home with a double to tie the score at 3 and, after a Joel Booker sacrifice bunt moved Ostrich to 3rd, he scored on Tyler Hermann's sacrifice fly.

Hermann walked and scored the first IHCC run; Booker was hit by a pitch and came around to score their second tally. 

Derek Kawlewski pitched around a two-out error in the 9th to save the win for Jose Marin, who pitched a scoreless 8th in his only inning of relief.  Jake Stalzer and Matt Lashlee combined for the first seven innings for the Falcons, giving up six hits with seven strikeouts.

Indian Hills got their four runs against MCC's Cory Ceponis, who had beaten the Falcons twice during the regular season.

The Falcons didn't play well defensively in the two games Saturday and that hurt their chances.  They committed four errors in the loss to Iowa Western and five in the MCC defeat.

Iowa Western broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the 3rd, then scored three in the 4th and one in the 5th, all against IHCC starter Luke Schneider.  Only three of the runs were earned.

Hermann, Jordan Berry and Kevin Valera each had two hits for Indian Hills.

A four-run 1st gave the Falcons an early jump on MCC in the elimination game, but the Tigers battled back by scoring at least one run in five of the first seven innings.  Four in the 7th broke open a 6-5 game.

Playing his final game as a Falcon, Hermann had another two-hit game and Booker also picked up two hits.  Indian Hills left 13 runners on base and failed to take full advantage of four MCC errors, five walks and two hit batsmen.

Indian Hills ended the season with a 32-22 record.  Three sophomores -- Ostrich, Hermann and Berry -- were in the starting lineup for the finale and Sam Ross was the only soph of the five pitchers that were used.

Falcons Impressive in Gaining Split

Centerville -- Indian Hills recovered from a frustrating day on Monday to sweep a doubleheader from regular-season conference champ Iowa Western on Tuesday, thus gaining the Falcons some much-needed momentum heading into this weekend's Region 11 postseason tournament.

IHCC used a late-game rally to win game two, 5-4, at Pat Daugherty Field after claiming a 6-3 win in the opener.  The victories came after Monday's action, which was moved to Ottumwa's Legion Field because of wet conditions on the Falcons' home diamond, when Iowa Western shut down the IHCC offense in 4-0 and 2-0 wins.

Tuesday's sweep ended when the Falcons' Joel Booker lined out to right field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th and Junior Santos came home with the game-winning run.  Indian Hills forced extra innings in the bottom of the 7th as Taylor Ostrich scored on Juan Figueroa's infield grounder.

In that game, IHCC scored single runs in the first two innings to take an early lead.  Iowa Western tallied a run in the 4th and three more in the 5th and it was 4-3 going into the Falcons' last at-bat when they rallied for the victory. 

Ostrich homered leading off the 5th inning, his second home run of the day.  The sophomore had a big three-run roundtripper in the first game, part of a four-run 3rd inning.

The two teams used a total of 17 pitchers with the head coaches looking ahead to the postseason and wanting to have everyone on the staff fresh for the weekend.

Matt Burnham, the fourth Indian Hills hurler of the second game, got the win.  First-game starter Sam Ross picked up the win with a strong relief effort from Derek Kawlewski.

The Falcons were held to five hits in game two with Ostrich and Edgar Lebron getting two each.  Ostrich also had two hits in the opening game and Caleb Ratzman, Lebron and Figueroa had two hits apiece.

Indian Hills struggled offensively on Monday, managing only six hits for the day.  They were blanked on two singles in the first game and had three singles and a Junior Santos double in the second.

Iowa Western scored a couple of runs in the 2nd inning of game one off IHCC starter Jake Stalzer and added single runs in the 4th and 7th.  Only one of the three runs charged to Stalzer was earned.

Christian Torres pitched well in the second game for Indian Hills, but was saddled with the loss.  He gave up six hits and one run in five innings.

Indian Hills had only two innings in the two games when they had two runners on base at the same time as IWCC pitchers permitted only four walks and six hits.

Next up for the Falcons (31-20, 15-9) is their first game of the region tourney in Muscatine.  They have the number-two seed and take on third-seeded Marshalltown CC at 2:00 Friday afternoon.  It's a double-elimination tournament with Iowa Western opening against Muscatine at 11 a.m.

IHCC Battles Back for Split

Liberty, Mo. -- Strong relief pitching by Derek Kawlewski and a three-run rally in the 4th inning allowed Indian Hills to come back and gain a split in Wednesday's doubleheader at Maple Woods (Mo.).  After their high-powered offense was held in a check in a 4-1 loss in the opener, the Falcons spotted the Monarchs a 3-1 lead in the nightcap, then scored three in the 4th and two more in the 7th to post a 6-3 win.

Kawlewski came on in the bottom of the 3rd when Maple Woods scored all three of their runs.  He contributed 4 1/3 innings of four-hit, shutout relief with no walks and four Ks.

The Falcons battled back to tie the score at 3 on an RBI-single by Dario Polanco and a sacrifice fly by Juan Figueroa before Kevin Valera's run-scoring single game them the lead.  A Monarchs' throwing error led to two insurance runs in the 7th. 

Valera had a solo homer in the 3rd to start the IHCC scoring.  The IHCC catcher, Joel Booker and Edgar Lebron all had two-hit games.

Two Maple Woods pitchers held the Falcons to six hits a lone run in the first game.  Valera's single drove in Booker, who had doubled.

The Monarchs got their first two runs against Matt Lashlee, who took the loss, and then got two more against Alsis Herrera in the 5th.

Wednesday's DH was moved up a day to take advantage of good weather in Missouri.  Indian Hills is slated to host Iowa Western for a four-game series to conclude the regular season this Saturday and Sunday. 

Conference Honor for Ostrich

OTTUMWA --- Indian Hills Community College sophomore Taylor Ostrich has been named the Scholar-Athlete of the Week in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.

A tremendous week at the plate propelled Ostrich to the weekly award.  A first baseman from Carroll, Iowa, Ostrich was 11-for-23 in seven games with 16 RBIs.  He drove in six runs in a game twice in a weekend series against Marshalltown CC.  Ostrich was very productive hitting in the third spot in the IHCC order with six doubles, a triple and a home run and he also scored eight runs.

For the season, Ostrich has a robust .376 batting average with 14 doubles and 34 RBIs.  He was named second-team All-Region last year after hitting a team-leading .346.

The Old Dominion University signee has a 3.56 grade point average and plans to pursue a degree in Sports Management at the Virginia school after graduating from IHCC this month.

Santos Fuels IHCC Sweep

Trenton, Mo. -- Junior Santos did not have a home run this season and  Joel Booker had only one going into Tuesday's doubleheader with North Central (Mo.).  When the first game of the twinbill ended, both IHCC freshmen had three homers for the spring.  Santos connected for three roundtrippers and Booker two as the Falcons pounded North Central, 22-8.  IHCC (28-17) then finished the sweep with an 11-0 win in game two.

In addition to his three long balls, Santos rapped out two singles and a double, scoring five runs and driving in six in his 6-for-6 performance.  Both Santos and Booker hit three-run homers in an 8-run 7th inning.

They weren't the only hitting stars for Indian Hills.  Tyler Hermann went 4-for-5 with five RBIs -- he also homered -- and Dario Polanco was 3-for-6 as part of a 19-hit barrage. 

Marcco Lovato started and went the first four innings for the Falcons and got the win.  Joelfi Arias came on after North Central had scored seven times in the 5th and threw 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief.

The Falcons also got a multi-homer game in the second game, from catcher Kevin Valera, and a home run from Juan Figueroa in finishing the sweep.  Valera hit two-run HRs in the 2nd and 3rd innings.  The last five batters in the IHCC lineup -- Nicholas Perez, Edgar Lebron, Figueroa, Valera and Zach Sims -- all had two hits and Figueroa collected five RBIs. 

Luke Schneider gave the Falcons five-hit shutout pitching with seven strikeouts and one walk as he went the distance in the second game. 

Family Weekend on Centerville Campus

Centerville --- When the Indian Hills baseball team hosts Iowa Western CC in a big four-game series this Saturday and Sunday, it will be Family Weekend on the IHCC Centerville campus.

There will be a cookout, sponsored by the Student Senate, between games of Saturday’s doubleheader, which starts at 1:00.  Free brats, hot dogs, chips and more will be available for students, families and friends who attend.  And the Student Senate will be handing out prizes during and between games of the twinbill.

In addition, the IHCC Campus Store staff will be selling Falcons apparel and novelties at the field from 2:00 to 3:30.

The series will continue with a doubleheader on Sunday, starting at noon.

Falcons Bring Out the Big Bats in Marshalltown

Marshalltown, IA -- For the second time this spring, Indian Hills took three out of four games in a weekend conference series with Marshalltown CC. 

When the teams met in Centerville the first weekend in April, IHCC scored 38 runs in the four games.  They did even better offensively this time around scoring 42 runs in their three wins and 45 runs total.

The Falcons walloped the Tigers, 8-3 and 14-3, on Saturday and, after losing a 4-3 decision in Sunday's first game, mauled MCC, 20-3, in the final game of the series.

The 20 runs are the most scored by the Falcons in a game so far this season, one more than they plated in a win against Muscatine CC the weekend before.

It was a huge series for IHCC sophomore Taylor Ostrich.  The lefty-hitting first baseman was 8-for-13 with an astounding 14 RBIs, slugging five doubles, a triple and a home run.  Ostrich had two doubles, a triple and the homer and six runs-batted-in in the second game on Saturday and then had another six-RBI game on Sunday as part of the 20-run onslaught.

The Falcons got off to a good start with the first-day sweep.  They broke open a close game in game one with two runs in the 5th on RBI singles by Joel Booker and Dario Polanco, added three more in the 6th before Edgar Lebron singled home another run in the 7th.  The top three batters in the order -- Caleb Ratzman, Junior Santos and Ostrich -- drove in the 6th-inning runs.  Polanco had three hits in the contest.

Jake Stalzer picked up the victory, going the first 5 2/3 innings with Matt Lashlee finishing up.  Stalzer allowed six hits and two runs with five Ks.

A three-run 1st inning started the Falcons on the way to the second-game win.  Sam Ross threw a complete-game four-hitter with nine punchouts.

Ostrich's four-extra base hits led the offense that also had two hits apiece from Ratzman, Santos and Jordan Berry.  Berry homered with Ostrich aboard in the 1st inning.

The lone pitcher's duel came in Sunday's first game, with MCC's Corey Ceponis outdueling IHCC's duo of Christian Torres and Derek Kawlewski.

Torres gave up only five hits and two first-inning runs before allowing a leadoff double in the bottom of the 6th with the Falcons ahead 3-2.  Kawlewski came on in relief and permitted the tying run to score on a sacrifice fly and the go-ahead run came home on a passed ball.

Ceponis struck out 12 IHCC batters and gave up only three hits, including Tyler Hermann's two-run homer in the 1st.  Darry Velez accounted for the other Indian Hills run with a solo HR in the top of the 6th, before MCC won it in the bottom of the inning.

The Falcons bounced back with a vengeance in the nightcap, scoring five times in both the 2nd and 3rd innings and then exploding for ten runs in the 4th. 

The 20 runs were scored on 11 hits with nine walks and a bevy of wild pitches, wild throws and three errors leading to the run total.

Ratzman, Lebron and Kevin Valera combined to score eight runs and none of them had a hit.  Ostrich had a three-run double in the 2nd, an RBI groundout in the 3rd and a two-run double in the 4th to cap his big weekend.

Polanco had four RBIs and he, Santos, Hermann and Booker all had two hits.

Adam Deneke didn't let all the offense distract him as he went the first four innings on the mound for IHCC and got the win.  He gave up five hits and two earned runs and fanned four.  Jose Marin had two more Ks in his one inning of work.

Indian Hills is 26-17 overall and 13-7 in the conference heading into the final week of the regular season.  Next up is a doubleheader at North Central (Mo.) on Tuesday.  The Falcons will host league-leading Iowa Western in a four-game series this weekend, Family Weekend at Pat Daugherty Field in Centerville.

17-Hit Outburst Leads to Split

Iowa Falls, IA -- A 13-run, 17-hit attack in the second game allowed Indian Hills to gain a split of Thursday doubleheader at Ellsworth CC.  The Falcons drubbed the Panthers, 13-3, after dropping an 8-4 decision in the opener.

Darryl Velez had his best game of the spring in game two, going 4-for-5 with four runs scored.  Nicholas Perez had three hits and three RBIs, and Caleb Ratzman, Edgar Lebron, Jordan Berry and Junior Santos all had two-hit games.  Santos also drove in three runs.  Dario  Polanco homered in a four-run 7th inning after the Falcons had scored four times in the 6th.

Luke Schneider started and went the first 5 1/3 innings to get the win for IHCC.  He allowed only four hits and struck out eight.  Brennan Floss finished with 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief.

Ellsworth used a four-run 3rd to get the scoring started in the first game.  After IHCC pushed across three runs in the 4th, ECC scored two runs in each of the next two innings.

Lebron had a two-run double, Berry an RBI two-base hit and Ratzman a run-scoring single for the Falcons.

Jose Marin started and took the loss.  Both Marin and  Jose Hernandez went three innings.

Indian Hills takes its 23-16 overall record and 10-6 conference mark to Marshalltown for a four-game series against the Tigers this weekend.

IHCC and ICCC Divide One-Run Games

Fort Dodge, IA -- In a pair of games that each ended in a 5-4 score, Indian Hills won one and lost one against Iowa Central CC on Wednesday. 

The Falcons' Alsis Herrera preserved the game one win by retiring three straight hitters after Iowa Central had scored a run to cut the IHCC lead to 5-4.  Indian Hills had broken a 3-all tie in the 6th when Darryl Velez and Caleb Ratzman had back-to-back run-scoring singles.

Ratzman walked and scored in both the 1st and 3rd innings.  Taylor Ostrich had an RBI-single in the 3rd and Joel Booker brought Ostrich home with a double.

Matt Lashlee went the first four innings for IHCC and Herrera the next three with the lefty Herrera getting the win.

In the nightcap, Iowa Central tied the game with a run in the bottom of the 7th and won it with a run in the 8th.

A four-run 4th gave the Falcons a 4-1 lead.  Edgar Lebron's three-run HR was the big blow in the inning.  Ratzman singled home the other run.

Jordan Berry and Juan Figueroa had two hits each.

Indian Hills (22-15) is back on the road Thursday for a doubleheader at Ellsworth CC in Iowa Falls.

Booker, Stalzer Win League Awards

CENTERVILLE --- For the second time this spring, the Indian Hills baseball team has swept the weekly honors handed out by the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.

Freshman Joel Booker was named the Athlete of the Week and sophomore pitcher Jake Stalzer earned the Scholar-Athlete of the Week award for their play last week when the Falcons won five of six games.

Booker, from Columbus, N.C., hit .500 for the week with eight hits, three runs scored, three doubles and eight RBIs.

The speedy outfielder is enjoying an outstanding season, hitting .386 with a homer and 22 RBIs while stealing seven bases.

Stalzer had a sparkling pitching performance against Muscatine CC in a conference contest on Saturday.  The Albia High School grad went 6 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits and two walks with four strikeouts and he got credit for IHCC’s 1-0 win.

It was Stalzer’s third victory of the season; he is 3-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched.

Stalzer, headed to Elon University in North Carolina after graduating this spring from Indian Hills, has a 3.62 grade point average on his way to an associate of arts degree from IHCC.

Falcons Claim League Sweep at Muscatine

Muscatine, IA -- Last-inning rallies in three of the four games allowed Indian Hills to sweep a weekend four-game series with Muscatine CC.  The victories allow the Falcons to move to within two games of the conference lead after Marshalltown took three of four games from league-leader Iowa Western.

The Falcons got the only run of the game in the top of the 7th in the opener to get the series started on the right foot with a 1-0 win; they plated two runs in the top of the 8th to take game two, 10-8; and they had another two-run rally in the final inning, the 7th, to complete the sweep, winning 7-6 in Sunday's second game.

The only game that wasn't close was the first one on Sunday -- a 19-6 blowout for IHCC.

Kevin Cicali singled home Tyler Hermann with the lone run in the 1-0 victory.  Hermann was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a walk to Dario Polanco before Cicali brought him home with an RBI-single.

The Falcons were held to only two hits, but Jake Stalzer was solid in keeping the hosts off the scoreboard until Indian Hills could break through with a run.  The IHCC starter went 6 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits and two walks.  His second walk came after he retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the 7th.  Freshman Derek Kawlewski came out of the bullpen to retire the next hitter on a popup to first base to preserve the win.

Muscatine scored five times in the bottom of the 7th in Saturday's second game to force extra innings.  Hermann's two-run single with the bases loaded in the 8th provided the winning margin.  Caleb Ratzman, Junior Santos and Edgar Lebron all had two hits for the Falcons and Santos knocked in three runs.

The win went to Matt Burnham in relief and Matt Lashlee shut down the Cardinals with a 1-2-3 8th after Indian Hills took the lead.

The Falcons used a 20-hit barrage in winning Sunday's first game, 19-6.  Everybody in the IHCC lineup had at least one hit and eight of the starting nine scored at least once and had at least one RBI.

There were three four-run innings and the big frame was the 5th when IHCC tallied seven runs.

Taylor Ostrich had four hits and three runs, Hermann, Polanco and Joel Booker each had three hits and Santos and Lebron had two apiece.  Polanco scored four times and had three RBIs.

Christian Torres and Joelfi Arias benefited from the offensive explosion as they combined on a six-hitter for the Falcons.  Each struck out five batters.  Torres went the first five innings and got the win.

IHCC capped the weekend by scoring a run in the 6th and two in the 7th to take the final game, 7-6.  Booker singled home the sixth-inning run, then singled again to drive in the game-winner in the 7th after Ostrich had doubled home a run to tie the score.

Kawlewski and Alsis Herrera retired the side in order in the bottom of the 7th, Herrera getting the final out for the save.  Indian Hills used seven pitchers in the game.

Booker had three hits and four RBIs and Ostrich and Polanco had a pair of hits each.

Indian Hills left town with a six-game winning streak and a 21-14 record, 10-6 in the conference.

 

Falcons Pick Up Two Wins

Centerville -- Five Indian Hills pitchers limited visiting North Central (Mo.) to only five hits as the Falcons swept a doubleheader from the Pirates Tuesday, IHCC winning 6-2 and 10-0 in five innings.

Second-game starter Alsis Herrera allowed only a 3rd inning double by Michael Babbit in a three-inning stint and Matt Lashlee followed with two hitless innings as the Falcons completed the sweep. 

Indian Hills (17-14) got the scoring started with a six-run first inning.  Taylor Ostrich, Zach Sims and Juan Figueroa all had RBI singles and Kevin Valera drove in two runs with a single as 11 men went to the plate.  Three more runs scored in the 5th, the last two on a single by Joel Booker that ended the game with the 10-run rule.

Sims and Edgar Lebron each had two hits and Sims and Tyler Hermann scored two runs each.

Lebron's two-run single in the 2nd inning got the scoring underway in the first game.  The Falcons only had six hits but took advantage of five hit batsmen and two walks.  Junior Santos' two-run single in the 6th capped the win.  Santos had two hits and Adam Deneke and Kevin Cicali scored two runs apiece.

Three IHCC pitchers -- Jose Marin, Marcco Lovato and Derek Kawlewski -- combined to allow four hits while striking out 10.  Marin started and got the win, fanning five in his three innings of work.

Late Rallies Lead to Sweep for IWCC

Council Bluffs, IA -- Iowa Western used late-game rallies in three of the four games on the way to a conference sweep of Indian Hills over the weekend on the Reivers' home field.

Sunday's two losses were especially painful for IHCC.  Falcons' starter Adam Deneke threw five shutout innings in game one only to see Iowa Western tie the score in the 6th and win it with a run in the bottom of the 7th.

The second game was another bitter result for the Falcons.  Indian Hills overcame the first-game disappointment by scoring four times in the top of the first and added a run in the 5th.  But the 5-0 lead disappeared when the Reivers pushed across seven runs in the bottom of the 5th and went on to complete the sweep with a 7-5 win.

Iowa Western won both games on Saturday, 7-5 and 7-1.  In the first game, IHCC led 5-3 before IWCC cut the lead to one in the 5th and then went on top for good with three runs in the 6th.  The Falcons were held to just five hits in the second game.

Deneke was cruising along in his outing on Sunday until the Reivers' Alex Greer tied the score with a one-out homer in the 6th.  The winning run scored on a bases-loaded hits batsman the next inning.  Deneke struck out seven over the first four innings and had only allowed  three hits before Greer's homer.

Tyler Hermann's first-inning single accounted for the Falcons' only hit and run.  He drove in Caleb Ratzman, who had led off the game by getting hit by a pitch.

Dario Polanco had a two-run single and Deneke added an RBI-single as the Falcons jumped out early in the second game.  Taylor Ostrich contributed a run-scoring single in the 5thand it was 5-0 going into the bottom of the 5th.

Starter Sam Ross had limited IWCC to only four hits through four frames, but hit the first two batters he faced in the 5th and that opened the floodgates.  There were five hits -- three of them doubles -- a walk, an error and the two hit batsmen in the inning.  The Falcons could only manage one baserunner in their final two at-bats.

The Falcons opened the series by scoring four times in the top of the 1st in game one on Saturday.  Jordan Beery had a two-run double, Tyler Hermann an RBI single and Kevin Cicali a sacrifice fly.

After IWCC scored once in the first against IHCC starter Jake Stalzer and twice in the 2nd, Cicali single in a run in the 3rd to make it 5-3.  Iowa Western, though, started their comeback with a run in the 5th and took the lead for good with three in the 6th.

Stalzer went the distance for the Falcons.  He gave up eight hits and seven runs, five earned, with no walks and four Ks.

Ratzman and Hermann had two hits each.  Hermann's RBI single in the 1st extended an amazing streak for the sophomore, giving him at least one RBI in 11 games in a row!  The streak came to an end in the second game when he failed to drive in a run, despite going 1-for-3.

Iowa Western sprinted to a 7-1 lead after four innings in the second game and the Falcons were held to five hits.  Kevin Valera drove in their only run with a single to bring home Dario Polanco in the 2nd.

Christian Torres went the first three innings and took the loss.  He walked four, hit two and was charged with five runs.

The Falcons are 15-14 for the season and .500 at 6-6 in the conference.  They are scheduled to play a home doubleheader against North Central (MO) on Tuesday.

Deneke Commits to South Alabama

Centerville -- Indian Hills sophomore Adam Deneke, who has starred at both the plate and on the mound this spring, has verbally committed to continue his career at the University of South Alabama, an NCAA Division I school that plays in the Sunbelt Conference.

Deneke's sophomore campaign at IHCC is off to a strong start.  He entered the week hitting .297 with four doubles, a triple and a homer while driving in 16 runs.  He has been even better as a pitcher, sporting a miniscule 0.39 ERA in five games (four starts), which is the lowest ERA in NJCAA Division I. He has won three of his first four decisions this spring.  In 23 innings, the righthander from Pierre, South Dakota had allowed only one earned run while striking out 23. 

"Adam has come a long way as a player in his time at Indian Hills," said IHCC coach Cam Walker, "especially on the mound."  He has an aggressive approach that you would hope all your players would have.  We are happy with the opportunity he has created for himself and wish him the best of luck after he graduates next month."

Sporting a 3.5 grade points average, Deneke will obtain his associate of arts degree in May.  This summer he will head to Massachusetts to play for the Brockton Rox of the Future's Collegiate Baseball League.

Deneke had a successful freshman season for the Falcons, garnering second-team all-region honors as the everyday rightfielder.  He hit .313 with 15 doubles and 24 RBIs.  He had a 1-1 record with a 2.53 ERA in limited time on the mound, throwing 10 innings in six games.

South Alabama assistant coach Bob Keller last week saw a glimpse of what USA hopes Deneke will do when he gets to the Mobile, Ala. school in the fall.  Deneke touched 93 on the radar gun while throwing five shutout innings in an IHCC win against Southwestern CC.

A member of the Sunbelt Conference, South Alabama is off to a 24-10 start this year and is 7-5 in conference play.

First-Inning Explosion Leads to Easy Win

Centerville -- Indian Hills sent 15 men to the plate in the first inning, scoring a dozen runs and the Falcons went on to rout Iowa Central 15-1 at Pat Daugherty Field on Tuesday.

The huge first inning began with a double by leadoff hitter Caleb Ratzman and he added another double later in the frame.  Dario Polanco had an RBI double and a two-run home run in the 1st and Polanco doubled home another run in the 5th.  Junior Santos had two singles, a double and an RBI triple for the Falcons who won for the 7th time in the their last eight games.

Eight of the Falcons' hits went for extra bases.

Adam Deneke was the recipient of the offensive outburst by IHCC, throwing the first six innings and getting credit for the win.  He allowed only four hits and an unearned run while striking out seven.  Sam Ross finished up.

The Falcons, now 15-10 for the season, head to Council Bluffs this weekend for a four-game series with Iowa Western.  IHCC is one game behind the Reivers in the league standings.

Hermann, Torres Earn Conference Honors

CENTERVILLE ---  The Indian Hills Community College baseball team had the Athlete of the Week and the Scholar Athlete of the Week for their performances last week when the Falcons went 7-2 overall and improved their conference record to 6-2.

Sophomore Tyler Hermann, from Eau Claire, Wis., was named the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week after hitting a torrid .469 (15-for-32) for the week with nine runs scored and 17 RBIs.  Hermann drove in at least one run in all nine games he played, while slugging three doubles, a triple and his first home run of the spring.

For the season, the former Wisconsin high school player of the year is hitting .370 with 24 RBIs.

Christian Torres, a freshman lefthanded pitcher from Canovanas, Puerto Rico, had two outstanding starts to earn Scholar Athlete of the Week honors.  Torres went the first six frames in a combined seven-inning no-hitter against Southwestern CC in a 13-0 Falcons win.  He walked three and struck out four.

Torres followed up his hitless performance by allowing just one hit and fanning eight in a complete-game conference win against Marshalltown CC on Sunday.

He is off to a great start in his initial season of college baseball with a 4-0 record, a 1.26 ERA and 27 Ks in 28 2/3 innings.

Torres is also an honor roll student at IHCC with a 3.7 grade point average. 

Falcons Take Three From Tigers in League Play

Centerville -- For the second weekend in a row, the Indian Hills Falcons won three of four games in a series against a conference foe.  The Falcons scored 17 runs to win the opening game of the series against Marshalltown CC, winning 17-9, and then, after a 10-6 loss in Saturday's second game, used two outstanding pitching performances to sweep Sunday's doubleheader by scores of 5-2 and 10-0.

The results put the Falcons' season record at 14-10 and give them a conference record of 6-2.  They will play a league series at conference-leader Iowa Western next weekend.

A pair of lefthanded pitchers for IHCC were superb in Sunday's action.  Christian Torres allowed one lone single and one earned run in a complete-game effort in the opener.  Torres stuck out eight and walked four.  His teammates scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the 3rd and added an insurance run in the 4th.

Dario Polanco had run-scoring doubles in the 1st and 3rd for the Falcons, his hit in the 3rd chasing home Tyler Hermann to break a 3-all tie.  Caleb Ratzman tripled and scored the extra run the next inning.

In game two, Jake Stalzer threw a route-going six-hitter with one walk and eight Ks to notch the victory.  He benefitted from a 13-hit attack that included a double and triple by Junior Santos and a triple by Joel Booker.  Hermann had three hits and Ratzman, Santos and Darryl Velez two apiece.  Velez scored three runs and Santos drove in four.

The Falcons pounded MCC ace Jake Whaley in the first contest on Saturday, knocking him out of the game after he had given up seven hits and 11 runs, nine earned.  Marshalltown erupted for seven runs in the top of the 4th to go on top 8-3, but IHCC stormed back with five runs in the 4th, six more in the 5th and three in the 6th.

Of Indian Hills' 15 hits, Hermann had three and Ratzman, Santos, Jordan Berry and Booker picked up two each.  Santos scored four runs and Hermann three; Polanco and Berry had three RBIs.

Matt Lashlee got the win in relief of starter Derek Kawlewski.  Lashlee gave up only two hits and one run in 3 1/3 innings with no walks and two Ks.

Marshalltown scored three runs in the each of the first two innings in the second game and went on to defeat the Falcons 10-6.

Jose Marin started and took the loss despite seven strikeouts in four innings.

The Falcons were held to only six hits.  Zach Sims and Kevin Valera each scored twice.

 

Indian Hills Wins Slugfest

Centerville -- Indian Hills scored a season-high 15 runs and overcame some shaky defense to dump Southwestern CC 15-11 on the Falcons' home diamond on Thursday.

The Falcons were given eight walks to go along with 10 hits and five Southwestern errors in posting their third win in a row.

Indian Hills jumped out to a 13-3 lead after five innings but didn't help themselves with seven errors.  Southwestern made things interesting with a six-run 6th inning and added single runs in the 7th and 8th before IHCC relievers Marcco Lovato, Brennan Floss and Jose Marin closed out the win for the home team.

Starter Adam Deneke got the win, going the first five innings.  He allowed two hits and three runs, all unearned, with three strikeouts.

The big inning offensively was the 4th when Indian Hills tallied five runs.  Kevin Cicali had a bases-loaded double in the inning as part of a four-RBI day.  Kevin Valera slugged a three-run homer in the 2nd and Jordan Berry knocked in a pair of runs for the Falcons.  Cicali also scored three runs.

Indian Hills returns to conference play this weekend when the Falcons host Marshalltown CC in a four-game set at Pat Daugherty Field.

Falcons Blast Panthers

Centerville -- Indian Hills spotted visiting Ellsworth CC an early lead and then came back to down the Panthers 11-5 at Pat Daugherty Field on Wednesday.

IHCC snapped a 5-all tie on Tyler Hermann's run-scoring single in the 7th and then got plenty of insurance in the 8th when the Falcons batted around and tallied five runs.  Doubles by Junior Santos, Jordan Berry and Dario Polanco keyed the 8th inning-uprising. 

Santos, Berry and Hermann all had three-hit games for IHCC -- Santos and Berry each doubled twice -- and Caleb Ratzman had a pair of singles in a 14-hit attack.  Five different players had two RBIs.

The Falcons got a strong relief effort from Matt Lashlee, who went the final three innings and allowed only one baserunner while fanning four to pick up the victory.

Jake Stalzer started for Indian Hills and permitted only two hits and one earned run in three innings with six Ks.

Indian Hills will take on Southwestern for the second time in three days when the Spartans visit Centerville on Thursday. 

Combined No-Hitter Boosts Falcons

Creston, IA -- Christian Torres and Luke Schneider combined to no-hit Southwestern CC on Tuesday as Indian Hills rolled to a 13-0 non-conference victory over the Spartans.

Torres was coming off a game against Muscatine in which he surrendered two hits and one run in five innings and was even better in this outing.  The freshman lefty threw six innings of hitless ball with three walks and four strikeouts.  Schneider finished up the gem with a one-two-three 7th inning with a pair of Ks.

Meanwhile, the IHCC offense provided plenty of support, scoring all its runs in three innings.

Doubles by Dario Polanco and Taylor Ostrich sparked a four-run 3rd; Caleb Ratzman drilled a three-run home run as part of a six-run 5th; and Tyler Hermann's leadoff homer accounted for the first of three runs in the 6th. 

Joel Booker joined Polanco with three hits and Ratzman and Ostrich had two each.  Booker also scored three times and Ratzman, Polanco and Hermann collected three RRIs each.

The Falcons are slated to host Ellsworth on Wednesday.

League Season Opens with Three Wins

Centerville -- Indian Hills won three of four games from Muscatine CC as the two teams got the conference season opened over the weekend.  The Cardinals then stayed for another day on Sunday and the two squads split a doubleheader.

On Friday, IHCC got a couple of dominating performances from starters Christian Torres and Jake Stalzer in sweeping MCC by scores of 11-1 and 9-1.  The first game was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule and Torres was sharp, allowing only two hits while striking out eight.

Joel Booker led the IHCC offense with his first homer of the spring, a three-run shot in a seven-run 2nd inning.  The first seven hitters all hit safely and all of them scored in the big inning.  Tyler Hermann had a two-run double and later walked with the bases loaded in the 5th inning for his 3rd RBI of the day.

Jordan Berry and Kevin Valera each had two hits and Berry, Dario Polanco and Junior Santos scored twice.

Stalzer worked the first six innings in game two, permitting four hits with nine Ks, before Brennan Floss finished up with a two-strikeout 7th. 

IHCC scored at least one run in five of six innings and collected nine hits, two apiece by Booker, Taylor Ostrich and Berry.  Ostrich doubled in the 1st and slugged a two-run homer in the 6th.

The Falcons won their third staight in Saturday's first game, winning 8-2, but a costly error in the nightcap allowed Muscatine to gain a split as they won 6-3.

Leadoff hitter Caleb Ratzman ignited the offense in game one with singles in three consecutive innings, scoring each time he reached base.  Number-two batter Adam Deneke scored twice and Berry knocked in two runs. 

Sam Ross got the win on the mound for IHCC, getting two outs in the top of the 7th before Marcco Lovato came on to record the final out.  Ross gave up only three hits and struck out five.

Deneke started the second game and all the runs he allowed in a four-run 4th for MCC were unearned. 

The Falcons attempted to rally in the bottom of the 7th, but left the bases loaded after scoring one run.  Junior Santos had three of IHCC's hits and Berry continued his hot hitting with a single and a triple.  Edgar Lebron pounded a leadoff homer in the 3rd.

Sunday's action started with a dandy pitching performance by IHCC freshman Derek Kawlewski. The righthander gave up two hits and an unearned run in the first six innings and Junior Santos finished with a hitless 7th as the Falcons won 6-1.

Ratzman, Santos, Kevin Cicali and Hermann all had two-hit games and Cicali and Hermann had two RBIs.

Muscatine salvaged the final game of the weekend, winning a slugfest 13-11. 

Five IHCC pitchers combined to give up 10 hits and 14 walks.

An early 6-0 lead for the Falcons disappeared when the Cardinals scored six runs in the 4th and four more in the 5th and scored 13 unanswered runs.  As they had in Saturday's loss, Indian Hills tried to rally in the final inning.  They scored three runs and had two runners on base when the final out was recorded.

Ostrich had three hits and four RBIs and Santos also had a three-hit game.  Every one of IHCC's starters scored at least one run.

The Falcons end the long weekend with an 8-9 record and will travel to Southwestern for a non-league game on Tuesday. 

Iowa Central Spoils Falcons' Home Opener

Centerville -- After their first three home dates had to be canceled because of inclement weather, the Indian Hills Falcons were glad to get their home slate started on Thursday afternoon.  Unfortunately, Iowa Central put a damper on things by knocking off the Falcons 6-4 at Pat Daugherty Field.

IHCC tried to put together a last-inning rally, scoring twice in the bottom of the 9th.  But an infield popup ended the threat with the Falcons leaving the bases loaded.

Iowa Central jumped out to a quick lead against IHCC starter Alsis Herrera with a run in the 1st and three in the 2nd.  The Falcons cut the lead in half on run-scoring singles by Jordan Berry in the 3rd and Joel Booker in the 4th.  Booker's hit came after a triple by Tyler Hermann.

Four ICCC pitchers shut down Indian Hills after the 4th, until the two runs in the 9th, which were knocked in by Booker and Darryl Velez. 

Dario Polanco's three hits led IHCC's 12-hit attack.  Hermann had two hits as the hosts outhit the Tritons 12-8. 

Herrera went the first four innings for Indian Hills and took the loss.  Joelfi Arias threw five good innings in relief, allowing only three hits and a pair of runs.

Muscatine CC will come to Centerville this weekend for a four-game series to open conference play.

Indian Hills Slugs Its Way to Another Win

Phoenix, AZ -- Indian Hills capped its trip to the Phoenix area with another strong offensive effort, collecting a season-high 18 hits and thrashing Phoenix CC 11-3 on Saturday.  The win was the third in a row for the Falcons who improved their season record to 4-6.

The 18 hits amassed by the Falcons gave them 85 over the past six games in Arizona, an average of over 14 per game.

Adam Deneke and Joel Booker led the hit parade with three apiece.  Taylor Ostrich, Jordan Berry, Kevin Cicali, Juan Figueroa and Caleb Ratzman all had two hits.

Deneke had a three-run homer in a five-run 5th inning and Berry chipped in a two-run single in the 7th. 

A pair of freshmen, Christian Torres and Derek Kawlewski, took care of things on the mound for the Falcons.  Torres went the first 5 2/3 innings and Kawlewski the final 3 1/3.  They gave up 10 hits, but only three runs.

The Falcons' five runs in the 5th snapped a 1-all tie and they added five more runs in the next two frames.

Indian Hills headed back home hoping for some good weather with the Falcons slated to play 10 games at Pat Daugherty Field to end the month of March.  The home opener is March 21 against Ellsworth CC.

Bats Come Alive as Falcons Win Two

Phoenix, AZ -- After losing five straight games by a total of 10 runs, the Indian Hills Falcons got back on the winning track on Friday, picking up a pair of victories.

The Falcons pounded out 13 hits on the way to an 11-0 rout of Pro Train and followed that up with a 5-2 win against Chandler-Gilbert in a game in which IHCC had 14 hits.

Adam Deneke and Brennan Floss combined on a two-hit shutout in the game with Pro Train.  Deneke went the first five innings and gave up two hits and struck out four.  Floss hurled two hitless innings with a walk and three Ks.

The Falcons came alive with four runs in the 3rd and added three runs in the 4th and three more in the 7th.

Caleb Ratzman went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.  He had one of two triples for the Falcons with Zach Sims also tripling and scoring three times.

Felix DeJesus, Sims, Joel Booker and Jose Marin had two hits each and Booker had three RBIs.

The game with Chandler-Gilbert was a pitcher's duel for six innings with neither team able to score.  Jake Stalzer started for IHCC and was lifted with two outs in the sixth after allowing only four hits and fanning six.

Matt Lashlee took over and went the rest of the way.  Both of the runs he permitted were unearned.  Lashlee got the victory when the Falcons snapped a two-all tie with a run in the 8th and then added two insurance runs in the 9th.

Dario Polanco doubled home Edgar Lebron with the go-ahead run in the 8th inning and Kevin Cicali singled home a run in the 9th and Lebron added a sacrifice fly.

Taylor Ostrich had three hits and Polanco, Jordan Berry, Deneke and Cicali all had two.

Indian Hills will end their trip to Arizona with a contest against Phoenix CC on Saturday.

IHCC Loses Close One to Cochise

Phoenix, AZ -- An unearned run scored in the bottom of the 7th inning proved to be the difference as Cochise CC edged Indian Hills 9-8 on Thursday.

The Falcons staged a late rally, scoring three runs in the 8th inning, but they came up a run short in their battle with the Apaches.

A two-run 1st inning and a three-run 3rd allowed IHCC to jump out to an early lead.  Adam Deneke, tHe Falcons' cleanup hitter, singled home a run in the opening inning and had a two-run double in the 3rd.  Deneke added a run-scoring double in the 8th.

Indian Hills outhit Cochise 17-9 but hurt themselves with six errors.  Four of the Apaches' nine runs were unearned.

Junior Santos, Tyler Hermann and Kevin Cicali joined Deneke with three-hit games for IHCC. 

Edgar Lebron tripled and scored in the 8th.

The Falcons stranded 10 runners and left the bases loaded in the 7th. 

Starter Sam Ross was tagged with the loss for IHCC.  He went 4 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits and six runs, two of them unearned.  Jose Marin threw 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief, but walked four batters, two of whom scored.  Logan Mallek finished up with an inning and a third, giving up one hit and an unearned run.

Indian Hills has games with Pro Train and Chandler-Gilbert scheduled for Friday.

Yavapai Holds Off Falcons' Comeback

Prescott, AZ -- For the second straight game, Indian Hills spotted their opponent a big lead and then saw their attempt at a come-from-behind win fall short.  The Falcons trailed host Yavapai 9-3 after six innings and couldn't get closer than the final margin in losing 9-6.

IHCC got run-scoring hits from Taylor Ostrich and Adam Deneke in the 7th and Dario Polanco doubled and scored in the 9th to cut into Yavapai's advantage, but the Falcons' last-inning rally was snuffed out as three straight batters were retired.

Deneke had three hits while Ostrich, Polanco and Junior Santos all had two as part of IHCC's 12-hit attack.

IHCC left eight runners on base, six of them in scoring position.

Indian Hills used three pitchers with starter Alsis Herrera taking the loss.  Joelfi Arias provided 2 1/3 innings of two-hit, shutout relief.

Next up for the Falcons is a date with Cochise CC on Thursday afternoon.

Falcons Lose a Pair of Close Ones

Phoenix, Arizona -- Indian Hills dropped a couple of close games on Tuesday on its season-opening trip -- losing 3-2 to South Mountain and 10-8 to Scottsdale.

The Falcons saw a late lead slip away in the game with South Mountain and a late-game rally come up short against Scottsdale.

Indian Hills used superb pitching from starter Christian Torres and reliever Matt Lashlee to blank South Mountain for the first seven innings of the day's first game.  Torres threw five shutout innings in his first start as a Falcon.  He gave up only one hit, walked two and struck out four before being lifted after throwing 64 pitches.

The Falcons broke a scoreless deadlock with two runs in the top of the 8th, the first scoring on an error and the second on a pinch-hit single by Tyler Hermann. 

South Mountain got one of the runs back in the bottom of the 8th and then won it with two runs in the bottom of the 9th, the game-winner scoring on a one-out bases-loaded walk.

IHCC leadoff hitter Darryl Velez had two of his team's six hits.

After spotting Scottsdale a 7-1 lead, Indian Hills battled back with three runs in the 5th, two in the 6th and two more in the 7th, but their comeback attempt came up two runs short.

IHCC outhit the hosts 11-8 with Velez, Taylor Ostrich, Joel Booker and Felix DeJesus with two-hit games.  Eight different players drove in a run and eight scored once.

Derek Kawlewski and Brennan Floss split the pitching duties for IHCC, with each going three innings.  Three Falcons' errors made four of Scottsdale's runs unearned. 

Indian Hills has a single game with Yavapai on the schedule for Wednesday.

Falcons Notch First Victory in Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ -- After a rainy start to their spring trip to Arizona, the Indian Hills Falcons on Monday finally got to see some game action and they picked up their first win, an 8-6 decision against the Arizona State University club team.  The Falcons dropped the second game of the twinbill 10-7.

The opener featured an 11-hit attack for the Falcons and an outstanding pitching performance by sophomore Sam Ross.  Ross picked up the win with four innings of relief work.  He allowed only three hits and an unearned run while walking three three and striking out three.

The top three hitters in the IHCC lineup -- Darryl Velez, Dario Polanco and Taylor Ostrich -- each had two hits and Juan Figueroa also picked up two singles. 

Trailing 3-2 going into the 7th inning, the Falcons plated two runs in the 7th and and three more in the 8th.  ASU scored three in the bottom of the 9th, but IHCC reliever Junior Santos got out of a big jam to preserve the win.  Santos allowed the first six hitters to reach base in the 9th on five walks and a single.  He then got two stikeouts and ground ball back to the mound to allow Indian Hills to hold on for the victory.

Polanco and Joel Booker each drove in two runs for the Falcons and eight different players scored a run.

Jake Stalzer started on the mound for IHCC and gave up two hits and two runs in four innings with six strikeouts.

Indian Hills used a five-run 2nd to take an early lead in game two.  Jordan Berry and Kevin Cicali both doubled in the inning and Adam Deneke had a two-run single.  Deneke also tripled and scored in the 6th.  He got the start for the Falcons and threw the first two innings.  Three pitchers followed Deneke to the hill with Logan Mallek taking the loss.

Deneke, Berry and Cicali all had two-hit games.  The Falcons stole six bases.

IHCC pitchers walked 11 men in each game.

Indian Hills is slated to play two games on Tuesday -- an 11 a.m. contest against South Mountain and a 3:00 game with Scottsdale CC.

Falcons Lose Opener at Seminole State

Seminole, Oklahoma -- Seminole State pounded out 18 hits and used a big seven-run 4th inning to spoil the Indian Hills Falcons' season-opener on Wednesday, beating IHCC 13-2.

Dario Polanco's two-run homer in the 5th accounted for the Falcons' runs.  Kevin Cicali had doubled ahead of Polanco's round-tripper.

Taylor Ostrich also had a double and Polanco and Juan Figueroa both singled as the Falcons were held to five hits.

Jake Stalzer got the start for Indian Hills and pitched three shutout innings before running into big trouble in the 4th.  By the time he was lifted, Stalzer had given up nine hits and was charged with seven runs.  He struck out six in his 3 2/3 innings of work.

IHCC used five pitchers after Stalzer and only two of the six runs they allowed were earned as the Falcons committed three errors.

Indian Hills' pitchers combined to strike out ten while issuing only three walks.

Next up for the Falcons is a Friday game with the Arizona State University club team, the first of 12 games for IHCC in the Phoenix area.

Ross is Latest IHCC Player Going to Lindsey Wilson

Centerville -- Sophomore righthanded pitcher Sam Ross is the second Indian Hills baseball player to decide that Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky is where he will go after graduating from IHCC this spring.

Ross will join Falcons' teammate Matt Lashlee as a member of the pitching staff at Lindsey Wilson, an NAIA school in Columbia, Kentucky, after this spring.  Lashlee has already signed with Lindsey Wilson.

Ross, from Urbandale, is coming off a strong freshman season at IHCC where he won two games and posted a 2.35 ERA, striking out 18 in 30-plus innings.

Asked why he decided on Lindsey Wilson, Ross said, "I chose the school because of the winning tradition of its baseball program and the strong academics the college has to offer."

There is another IHCC connection with Lindsey Wilson.  Mitch Osnowitz, who was an all-region performer for Indian Hills in 2011, is currently on the Blue Raiders' roster.  They are ranked 12th in the NAIA poll and had a great 2012 campaign when they won 43 games under first-year head coach Jonathon Burton, winning a Mid-South Conference championship and earning a trip to the NAIA national tournament.

Six High School Standouts Sign With IHCC

Centerville -- Indian Hills baseball coach Cam Walker has announced the signing of six high school seniors who will be joining the IHCC program next fall.  Walker is excited about what the six future Falcons will add to the 2013-14 Indian Hills squad.  "These six guys will all play a role in continuing the great tradition that is IHCC baseball," said Walker.  "We are excited to add them to the very talented group of freshmen that are on the roster this spring."

The signees include:

Nick Green, righthanded pitcher, Ft. Carson HS, Fountain, Colorado
Green will return to the mound this spring after sitting out his junior season with an arm injury.  At full strength, he brings an upper-80s fastball with two very good secondary pitches.  As he regains his strength, Green could increase his velocity to the low 90s and will be a good addition to next year's starting rotation for the Falcons. 

Kyle Keck, outfielder, Ottumwa HS, Ottumwa, Iowa
Keck brings a lefthanded bat with good athleticism that will help him transition to playing the outfield at the next level.  The staff feels he will develop quickly into a very good college player as he possesses a work ethic that is second to none.  One of the top high school players in the area he should push for playing time right away with three sophomore outfielders leaving the program after this year.

Mitch Langer, first baseman, Ft. Carson HS, Fountain, Colorado
A high school teammate of signee Nick Green, Langer possesses a big-time middle-of-the-order presence.  He has plus-power at the plate and has already worked out for many professional scouts between his junior and senior seasons.  Langer is 6'4" and weighs 220 pound and runs very well for his size.  He is expected to be a strong defensive player at first base as well.

Michael Levar, third baseman/righthanded pitcher, Cheyenne Mountain HS, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Levar is expected to work off the mound and be a position player for the Falcons.  He, like Langer, will provide a middle-of-the-order bat.  As a pitcher, he has a mid-80s fastball with a very good breaking ball.  Levar could be a part of the starting rotation or work out of the bullpen.  A very athletic player, he should also be able to make a smooth transition to third base at the collegiate level.

Jordan Magers, lefthanded pitcher, Kirksville HS, Kirksville, Missouri
Magers has been destined to be a Falcon for a long time as he has attended IHCC baseball camps for the past 10 years.  He comes from a very successful high school program and should see a jump in his velocity and pitching ability once he transitions into the college game.  He will give the pitching staff another lefthanded arm for next year.

Jayson Sanchez, righthanded pitcher/shortstop, Brawley Union HS, Brawley, California
Sanchez is coming off a phenomenal junior campaign in which he won Pitcher of the Year honors in the Imperial Valley Conference in southern California.  He led the league with eight wins and a 1.38 ERA in one of the top high school conferences in California.  Sanchez will look to make an immediate impact as a position player in the middle infield, where he played when he wasn't on the mound.  He also has great bloodlines as his brother, Jacob, is currently playing professionally.

Hermann Headed to UWM

Centerville -- Indian Hills sophomore third baseman Tyler Hermann has signed a letter-of-intent to attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and play baseball for the Panthers.

Hermann, from Eau Claire, Wis., is looking to improve on his numbers from a freshman season at IHCC when he was plagued by injuries.  He hit .264 in 2012 with six doubles and 19 RBIs in 46 games.  He was second on the team in walks with 18.

The former Wisconsin High School Player of the Year is healthy heading into the spring campaign and is expected to add experience and power to the heart of the Falcons' lineup.

"I felt like UWM was a good fit for me for a number of reasons," said Hermann.  "Coach (Scott) Doffek was interested in me coming out of high school so there was a familiarity with him and his staff.  They will have a need at my position so I know going in I will have a good opportunity to contribute right away.  And the level of competition they play intrigued me as well, knowing that I will get to compete against some of the top programs in the country and continue to get noticed by professional scouts made my decision that much easier."

IHCC coach Cam Walker is excited about Hermann's potential impact on this year's Falcons team, saying "Tyler has developed and refined his tools to the point that he is capable of going out and playing for anyone in the nation after he leaves IHCC.  He has three above-average tools -- he can run, throw and field -- and he has the potential to be an offensive force as well."

UWM was 27-27 last year and 18-11 in the Horizon League.

IHCC Holding Pitching/Hitting Camp This Month

Centerville -- Indian Hills will offer an Advanced Hitting and Pitching Camp in February.  The camps are reserved for players who have played varsity baseball or will be playing varsity this summer.  The Falcons coaching staff will provide instruction.

The first session of the Advanced Pitching camp will be from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Sat., Feb. 16, with session two from 1 to 3 p.m that day.

The Advanced Hitting Camp will be the next day, Feb. 17, and the times are 9:30 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 3:30 p.m.. 

Each session will be limited to 24 players and the cost is $50 per session.  Registration for this camp must be paid in advance.  Camp t-shirts will be provided to all players.

Embry to Speak at Baseball Banquet

Centerville -- The annual Indian Hills Baseball Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Manhattan Supper Club in Centerville.  Byron Embry, a former IHCC pitcher, will be the guest speaker.

Embry is the founder of Closing Remarks, a premier leadership development and communication organization.  He pitched on back-to-back World Series teams during his time at Indian Hills and then pitched professionally for 12 years.

The evening will include dinner, an auction, introduction of the 2013 baseball squad members and remarks by Embry.  The social begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7:00.

Tickets for the event are $20 each and can be purchased in advance at the Administration Building on the Centerville campus.  Tickets will also be available at the door.

Lashlee Headed to Linsey Wilson College

Centerville -- Indian Hills sophomore right-handed pitcher Matt Lashlee has signed a letter-of-intent to continue his education and baseball career at Lindsey Wilson College, an NAIA school in Columbia, Kentucky.

Lashlee, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is in his third season at Indian Hills.  He suffered a season-ending injury early in the spring 2011 season, then came back last year to appear in 11 games, six of them as a starter.  He won two games and struck out 21 batters while walking only nine in 34 1/3 innings.

Lashlee said he chose Lindsey Wilson mainly because of the success of the school's baseball program.  "I like the direction their program is headed," said Lashlee.  "I will get a chance to play for a team with a shot to play in the NAIA World Series.  Coach (Jonathan) Burton has set a standard of excellence for the program and I'm excited to be a part of that."

Lindsey Wilson is coming off a national tournament appearance last year and is ranked 12 in the NAIA preseason top 25.

"Matt has rebounded from wrist surgery in his first year at IHCC and his hard work and determination has shown us he is ready to compete for a starting position on the mound this spring," according to IHCC coach Cam Walker.  "He is a strike-thrower and possesses a very good breaking ball.  Matt has the size, frame and drive to develop his other pitches and the arm strength to become a quality three-pitch pitcher."