Iowa Western Brings an End to IHCC Season

Centerville -- The Indian Hills Falcons put together three straight wins in the elimination bracket of the Region XI tournament, but that streak ended when Iowa Western edged the Falcons, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon.

The win gives IWCC their 6th Region XI title in a row and ends the Falcons' season with a 39-22 record.

IHCC had kept its hopes alive in the tourney with a 6-4 win against Muscatine CC earlier Sunday. That victory avenged a loss to MCC on Friday in the Falcons' first game in the tourney.

Pitching dominated the game between Indian Hills and Iowa Western. Each team had six hits. IWCC scored single runs in the 1st, 6th and 8th innings while the only IHCC tally came in the 6th on a sacrifice fly by Manny Garcia. Garcia's fly ball brought home Frankie Rivera who had reached on an error.

The 3rd inning was the only frame in which the Falcons had more than one baserunner. Rivera and Adam Coleman had back-to-back singles after two outs. But a forceout ended the inning. Rivera picked up three of IHCC's hits.

A solid pitching effort by Matt Cook highlighted the opening win against Muscatine. Cook scattered 11 hits in 8 innings and allowed only two earned runs with no walks and eight strikeouts. Twin brother Justin finished up with a scoreless 9th for the Falcons.

Indian Hills scored all six of its runs in the 7th inning. Freshman Craig Vannus had a clutch two-out, two-run single to put IHCC ahead 6-1. MCC answered with three runs in the bottom of the 7th, but Matt Cook worked out of further trouble and gave way to his brother after the 8th.

Justin Cook and Vannus each had two hits for Indian Hills.

The 39 wins posted by Indian Hills in 2010 were the most since the 2006 team won 48 games. There were 16 sophomores on this year's roster who used up their eligibility, but a strong nucleus of pitchers will return in 2011.