Extra-Inning Loss Stings Falcons in Tourney

Centerville -- The Region XI postseason baseball tournament quickly went from a double-elimination event to a single-elimination affair for the Indian Hills Falcons. IHCC, which entered the tournament as the number-two seed, saw Muscatine CC score a run in the bottom of the 11th inning to pull out an 8-7 win over the Falcons on Friday and put Indian Hills one loss away from ending their season.

The winning run scored when MCC's Hector Ortiz scored all the way from second on a ground ball to third base. Ortiz had reached on a walk and moved up on a groundout. He was attempting to steal third when IHCC's Justin Cook fielded a grounder and fired to first. Ortiz never stopped running and beat the relay throw from first base to allow Muscatine to stay in the winner's bracket while sending Indian Hills to the elimination round.

The Falcons tied the game in the bottom of the 9th on a double by Manny Garcia, one of five hits in the game for Garcia. His double drove in Frankie Rivera who had walked and advanced on a sacrifice bunt.

The lead changed hands four times. IHCC jumped on top with two runs in the 1st inning on a two-run single by Justin Cook. Muscatine went ahead 3-2 in the top of the 3rd only to see the Falcons regain the advantage with a three-run 3rd.

Four straight hits and a hit-batsman produced the big inning for IHCC.

Trailing 7-5 in the 6th, Indian Hills tied the score on a pair of bases-loaded walks.

After Muscatine scored a run in the 8th, the Falcons tied the game up in the 9th on Garcia's RBI-hit.

The two teams combined to leave 33 runners on base, 18 of them by IHCC.

Brad Mergen started and went four innings for Indian Hills. He gave up five runs, all of them earned. David Wydeven threw five innings of relief, giving up four hits and only one earned run. Delvin Perez took the loss for Indian Hills as he was charged with the 11th inning run.

In addition to Garcia's five-hit performance at the plate, Justin Cook had three hits and Kyle Peterson two for the Falcons. Cook had three RBIs.

Knowing that one more loss will end their season, Indian Hills will take on Southwestern CC on Saturday morning at 11:00.