Stalzer, Ostrich Sign With DI Schools

CENTERVILLE --- Two of the top returning sophomores on the Indian Hills baseball team have signed letters of intent with Division I schools.  Jake Stalzer (Albia) signed with Elon University in North Carolina and Taylor Ostrich (Carroll) inked his letter of intent with Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

Stalzer, a left-handed pitcher, was an honorable mention all-league pick after a freshman season in which he posted a 4-2 record with a 3.55 ERA.  He had six complete games and fanned 60 in 50 2/3 innings.

Stalzer will join an Elon program that has made five NCAA regional appearances in the last decade.  That tradition of success, he says, is what attracted him to Elon.  “They have a long history of winning in baseball,” Stalzer said, “and they are also known for their academics and I know I’ll get a great education there as well.”

Coach Cam Walker says he has really enjoyed watching the progress Stalzer has made.  “Jake is a Cinderella story for the way he has developed during his short time here at IHCC,” Walker said.  “There aren’t many left-handed pitchers that possess the package of athletic and academic ability that Jake does.  He has unbelievable potential that will be fun to watch as it unfolds over the next few years, both at Indian Hills next spring and at Elon down the road.”

Ostrich, a left-handed hitting first baseman who was a second-team All-Region choice, led the Falcons in batting average (.346), walks (21) and on-base percentage (.440) last year.

Ostrich is coming off surgery on his left elbow for an injury he sustained in last year’s Region 11 tournament.  He has just recently started swinging a bat again.

“I chose Old Dominion,” Ostrich said, “because of the faithfulness of the coaching staff there, coming off my injury last year.  They stood by me during my rehabilitation.  I think competing in Conference USA will help me get the opportunity to continue my baseball career after college.”

Coach Walker said Ostrich caught the eye of numerous Division I coaches and pro scouts from the time he arrived on the IHCC campus.  “Taylor is the type of student-athlete you want to have,” the coach said.  “He provides a left-handed bat in the middle of the lineup, he demonstrates great leadership and shows an outstanding work ethic in the classroom as well as on the field.”

Fall Baseball Season Ends

Centerville -- The Indian Hills baseball team wrapped up its fall workouts with three different events, concluding what coach Cam Walker said was a productive and exciting fall season.

The annual Golden Falcons World Series was staged with assistant coaches Brett Monaghan and Brandon Crisp drafting teams under the watchful eyes of coach Walker.  The series was won in five games by Team Monaghan. 

Coach Monaghan said, “I was happy to see the players compete like they did.  Win or lose, it is great for our guys to end the fall in a competitive manner; we really saw an elite level of play during the series which was exactly what we were hoping for as a staff.”

A three-team double elimination tournament was then set up with the teams battling for bragging rights for the winter workout months.  The Grey team was the victor after some close games and come-from-behind heroics in the championship game. 

Walker commented, “We want our players to experience and be prepared for whatever they may have to do on the road to the World Series in the spring.  This was a great way to expose them to not only playing in a competitive environment, but it allowed them to get a feel of what it is like to be involved in a tournament setting.”

The fall campaign ended with a day where the coaching staff ran the entire squad through a pro-style evaluation.  The players ran a 60-yard dash, threw from their position to record arm strength and all pitchers threw live to hitters with both videotaped for evaluation at a later date.   This gave the coaching staff an opportunity to see how far each player’s tools had improved during the intensive fall development program.  

One of the most exciting things to watch develop during the fall season, according to Walker, was the overall team speed.  Three times during the fall, the players were tested in the 60-yard run.  In August, after the initial test, ten Falcons ran the 60 in under 7.0 seconds.  The second time, in September at the Indian Hills Scout Day where college and pro scouts timed the players, there were 16 players who ran under 7.0.  At the fall Evaluation Day, after the team had been on the “Empire Sports Performance” strength and sprinting program for 75 days, the Falcons had 20 players run a 6.9 or better in the 60, with four players running a 6.4 or lower. 

Walker, a 2012 JUCO Hall of Fame inductee, was amazed at the results he observed over the course of the fall.  “After 26 years of doing this, I have had one player on all my teams who ran a 6.4 or better.  I am in awe that this year we can field a team that can potentially have four players running a 6.4 or better and a whole lineup that runs 6.8 or better!”  

“I am proud of the time and effort the players and coaches have put in this fall and how that is transferring to the field.  I’m excited for the 2013 spring season to start in mid-February.”

The Falcons return three All-Region performers from 2012 – outfielder Adam Deneke, first baseman Taylor Ostrich and pitcher Jake Stalzer.  Ostrich signed a letter-of-intent with Old Dominion University in November and Stalzer signed with Elon University.

Expectations are high as the Falcons head into their winter workouts. The level of talent coupled with a hard-working group of players has the coaches and players believing Indian Hills baseball is headed for a very successful 2013.

Falcons Hosting Baseball Camps

Centerville -- Indian Hills baseball coach Cam Walker will put on a baseball camp for players eight years of age and older on Dec. 29 and 30 at the Indoor Baseball Facility on the IHCC Centerville campus.

Players will receive private, professional instruction in pitching, catching and hitting.  IHCC assistant coaches Brandon Crisp, Brett Monaghan and Bart Carney will all assist at the camp.

The camp will be divided into two sessions based on age.  Players between the ages of eight and 12 will work on pitching and catching from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 29, and players 13 and older will get instruction on pitching and catching from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. that day.

The following day, Dec. 30, hitting will be emphasized with the same schedule for the same age groups as the previous day.

The cost is $50 a session or $95 for two sessions.  Pre-registration forms are available from area high school coaches, or those interested can contact Crisp at 641-856-2143, ext. 2226, to receive a registration form or more information.  Registration can also be taken care of the day of the camp.  Each player who attends will receive a free camp t-shirt.

Indian Hills will also 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 next season.  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 Feb. 16 with session two from 1 to 3 p.m.

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 as well.

Piche, McElderry Top All-Region Picks

Centerville -- Pitchers Jordan Piche and A.J. McElderry lead the list of Indian Hills Community College baseball players named to the All-Region team.


Piche and McElderry were the Falcons’ first-team choices on the all-region squad. IHCC also had two second-team picks – freshmen Adam Deneke and Taylor Ostrich – and six players who received honorable mention accolades. They are sophomores Yuliecer Arias, Guillermo Cruz, Cashtyn DeLeeuw, Jeremy Delgado and Levi Grassley and freshman Jake Stalzer.

This year’s IHCC pitching staff had an ERA of over one run a game lower than in 2011 and Piche and McElderry were two big reasons for that.

Piche had a 9-4 record – leading the team in wins – and a 2.66 ERA with a team-high 85 strikeouts in 88 innings. He led the Falcons with seven complete games and has signed to play for the Kansas Jayhawks next year.

McElderry assumed the closer’s role early in the season and had a 0.74 ERA with a 4-1 record and eight saves in 20 appearances. He struck out 27 in 24 1/3 innings.

The two second-team selections from IHCC were two of the top hitters this year. Ostrich had the best batting average at .346 and also led in walks (21) and on-base percentage (.440). He slugged 17 doubles and two homers and drove in 31 runs.

Deneke hit .313 with 15 doubles, two triples, three home runs and a team-best slugging percentage of .500. He also appeared in six games as a pitcher with a 1-1 record and 2.53 ERA.

Arias – a second-team all-region pick last year – and Cruz both significantly improved their offensive performance in their second year at IHCC. Arias’ batting average jumped from .316 to .340 with team highs in at-bats (212), runs (42), hits (72), doubles (18), RBIs (33) and total bases (95). Cruz went from a .250 average as a freshman to .304 this season. He led the squad in steals with 24.

Delgado and Grassley both transferred to Indian Hills for their sophomore campaign. Delgado hit .311and led the team with four triples. Grassley had a .278 average, nine doubles, a triple and four homers.

DeLeeuw put together a solid season on the mound with a 2.79 ERA and a 7-2 record, the identical won-loss record he had as a freshman. He had 68 Ks in 68 IP and started a staff-high 13 games.

Stalzer came on strong at the end of the season, winning three games in two weeks to wind up 4-2 with a 3.55 ERA. The lefty had six complete games and fanned 60 in 50 2/3 innings.

Falcons' Season Ends in Region 11 Title Game

Centerville, IA -- Indian Hills battled to stay alive in the Region 11 tournament with a victory against Marshalltown CC on Sunday, but the momentum was short-lived as region champ Iowa Western CC scored 12 runs in the 1st inning of the championship game and ended the Falcons' season with an 18-4 win.

It was Indian Hills' second loss in the three-day tourney to Iowa Western and the win against MCC was the second time during the weekend and the 9th time in 10 games this spring they had defeated the Tigers.

The Sunday win against MCC came after Indian Hills overcame a 5-4 deficit with two runs in the 7th inning and one in the 8th to advance with a 7-5 victory.  Taylor Ostrich doubled home the tying run and scored the go-ahead tally on a single by Guillermo Cruz.  Yuliecer Arias -- who enjoyed an outstanding tournament with nine hits and six runs scored -- singled to score an insurance run in the next inning. 

Starter Jake Stalzer went six solid innings for the Falcons and left with a runner on and a 4-2 lead.  The Tigers pushed across three more runs against two IHCC relievers.  A.J. McElderry came on to throw two innings of scoreless relief and he got the save.

Marshalltown took a 1-0 lead in the 1st.  The Falcons scored two in the 2nd and two more in the 6th using doubles by Cruz and Tyler Hermann to get on the board in the 2nd and four singles for their two runs in the 6th. 

Arias, Cruz and Levi Grassley had two hits each for the Falcons.

But things quickly went south in Sunday's second game.  No. 1 ranked Iowa Western erupted for their dozen runs in the 1st and tacked on six more after that.  The Falcons didn't help themselves with some poor defense, causing ten of the runs to be unearned.

IHCC got a run in the 1st and was scoreless after that until the 9th when Jason Bonilla slugged his team-leading 8th homer of the season, a three-run shot.

The tournament got off to a very good start for Indian Hills on Friday when Cashtyn DeLeeuw went 6 2/3 strong innings and his teammates backed him with some timely hitting in a 6-1 win.

Jake Stalzer pitched the final 2 1/3 innings in relief and he and DeLeeuw spaced eight hits and  four walks to hold the Tigers to a lone run.

IHCC got single tallies in the 1st, 3rd and 4th innings and scored three in the 6th.

Jeremy Delgado and Arias each had a pair of hits and Delgado and Adam Deneke scored twice.

On Saturday, Iowa Western broke a scoreless tie with a  run in the 4th, added two more in the 6th and then scored six times over their final three at-bats on the way to a 9-4 victory over the Falcons.

Jordan Piche pitched the first eight innings for IHCC and McElderry finished up.

Indian Hills couldn't generate much offense against IWCC starter Tanner Krietmeier until the 7th when Zach Sims singled and scored.

They scored another run in the 8th and used four singles to plate two in the 9th. 

Arias had a three-hit game and Ostrich and Sims had two safeties each.  IHCC outhit the Reivers,  12-11, but all 12 Falcons hits were singles.

Indian Hills, which entered the tourney with the No. seed after going 20-12 in conference play, ends the season with a 35-24 record. 


  

Former Falcon Falu Triples in First MLB At Bat

Centerville, IA -- After 10 years and over 900 games in the minor leagues, former Indian Hills Falcon Irving Falu had a memorable major league debut on Sunday for the Kansas City Royals.

The switch-hitting Falu was called up to the Royals at the start of their weekend series with the New York Yankees.  And after waiting patiently, or most likely impatiently, for three games, he got the start at shortstop in Sunday's series finale.

 In his first big-league at bat, Falu, wearing number 19, tripled to right field against New York starter Phil Hughes.  He added a single in the 5th inning and later scored his first run.

"He's put his time in," Royals' manager Ned Yost said.  "He's got his opportunity.  For that, I'm excited.  I'm glad to see kids put forth the effort to be the best player they can and finally get an opportunity on the big-league level.  It's got to be one of the biggest thrills of his life.  You finally get to see a little reward for all the hard work you've done."

Falu was hitting .306 through 21 games with the Omaha Storm Chasers in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League when his contract was selected by the Royals.

He hit .301 for Omaha last season and was a non-roster invitee to spring training this year but began the season back with the Storm Chasers for the fourth straight year.

After two years at Indian Hills, Falu was chosen by Kansas City in the 21st round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft.  He has worked his way up through the Royals' minor league system.

The native of Puerto Rico played second, shortstop, third and right field this season for Omaha.  Yost said, "He's a really, really good utility player.  You can play him at a lot of different spots."

Falu turns 29 next month.  He returned to Centerville as the featured spearker for the 2011 baseball banquet.

Falu's appearance in Sunday's game makes it 39 years in a row in which at least one former Indian Hills player has played in a major league game.

Two Sunday Wins Allow IHCC to Split

Centerville, IA -- The Indian Hills Falcons hope they started another long winning streak when they swept both games of a Sunday doubleheader with visiting Southwestern CC. After having a 10-game winning streak snapped in a doubleheader loss to the Spartans on Saturday, the Falcons bounced back to win 7-3 and 7-1 at Pat Daugherty Field. 

The games close out of the conference portion of the schedule for IHCC with the Falcons finishing 20-12 in the league.  They are 33-22 overall.

Indian Hills got solid pitching from six different pitchers in Sunday's games, the hurlers giving up only nine hits and four runs for the day.  The pitching wasn't that bad on Saturday either, but IHCC came out on the short end of two one-run games, losing 3-2 and 6-5.

Sam Ross started the first game Sunday and went 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and a pair of runs, both earned.  Kyle Maldonado got the final out in the 6th and A.J. McElderry retired all three hitters he faced in the 7th.

The Falcons used four straight singles to score two runs in the 2nd.  They added an RBI single by Guillermo Cruz in the 3rd, a two-run double by Yuliecer Arias in the 4th, and a two-run double by Taylor Ostrich in the 6th. 

In the nightcap, Jeremy Delgado had a leadoff triple in the 1st and scored on a fielder's choice grounder.  IHCC plated four runs in the 4th with Delgado and Ostrich both driving in runs in the inning.  The final two runs came in the 5th when Kevin Arroyo and Zach Sims each singled home a run.

Darwin Miranda picked up his first win of the season.  He went the first five innings and gave up only two hits and one run, with a walk and five strikeouts.  Jake Stalzer and Cashtyn DeLeeuw each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Jordan Piche pitched wel enough to win in the first game Saturday.  He permitted six hits and three runs, two earned, in going the distance.  Piche fanned eight and walked one.

Indian Hills had a 2-1 lead, but Southwestern scored single runs in the 5th and 6th to win it. 

With the game tied 2-2 in the 5th, IHCC had the bases loaded with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning.  Then, trailing 3-2 in the 6th, the Falcons got a walk to Sims and a double by Darryl Velez, but stranded the runners again.

Missed opportunities were the story in the second game too.  The Falcons scored twice but left the bases loaded in the 2nd, and left runners at 1st and 3rd in the 5th.  Arias hit his first homer of the season in the 6th to tie the score at 6-all, but IHCC reliever McElderry allowed only his 3rd run all season in the 7th as Southwestern scored the game-winner.  The Falcons went quietly with three flyouts in the bottom of the 7th.

Adam Deneke pitched well in relief for Indian Hills, giving up two hits and an unearned run in four innings.  He fanned five with no walks.

Raul Centeno was the only Falcon with two hits, one of them a two-run double.

After the weekend's contests,  Indian Hills knows it will face Marshalltown CC in the first round in this weekend's Region 11 tournament.  IHCC is the 2nd seed and will face the third-seeded Tigers at 2:00 on Friday afternoon at Pat Daugherty Field.     

Stalzer and Grassley Take League Honors

Centerville -- Indian Hills freshman pitcher Jake Stalzer and sophomore catcher Levi Grassley have been honored by the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference as the league's Division I Athlete of the Week and Scholar-Athlete of the Week, respectively.  The two Falcons won the awards for the week of Apr. 30.

Stalzer was selected for his performance against Muscatine CC, a game in which he pitched six innings and gave up only four hits and two runs while striking out eight without a walk.

Grassley was honored for a week in which he had four hits in three games.  He reached base safely in 11 of his 12 at bats in those games.  Of his four hits, two were doubles and one was a homer.  Grassley has a 4.0 grade point average.

Pitching Fuels IHCC Sweep at Muscatine

Muscatine, IA -- Four Indian Hills pitchers combined to allow only five hits in a pair of shutout victories against conference opponent Muscatine CC on Thursday, the Falcons winning 4-0 and 7-0.  The wins push IHCC's winning streak to ten games, all but one of those wins against league foes.

Cashtyn DeLeeuw and Jordan Piche teamed on the mound for Indian Hills in game one, permitting only two hits.  DeLeeuw struck out four and walked four in  going the first five innings.  Piche allowed a hit and fanned  three.

Indian Hills scored their first run on an RBI single by Jason Bonilla in the 4th inning and added three runs in the 6th, the big hit in the inning a two-run double by Adam Deneke.  Deneke, Bonilla and Yuliecer Arias had two hits for the Falcons.

The second game saw Jake Stalzer and A.J. McElderry limit MCC to three hits.  Stalzer allowed two safeties and struck out eight in five innings; McElderry had three Ks in two innings of one-hit relief.

Deneke hit a two-run homer in the 4th, a tape-measure shot to center field.  He also scored a run after being hit by a pitch in a three-run 6th that put the game away.  Arias and Kevin Arroyo each had three hits and Arias drove in two with a bases-loaded single in the 6th.

IHCC is 31-20 and will host Southwestern CC in a four-game series this weekend. 

 

Centerville Campus Prepares for Parents Weekend

CENTERVILLE --- Parents Weekend on the Indian Hills Community College Centerville campus this weekend will have baseball, brats and Bob Traxler.


The Indian Hills Falcons baseball team will take on conference foe Southwestern CC in doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 1:00 both days.

On Saturday, a baseball-style cookout will be held with free brats, hotdogs and chips served from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The cookout is sponsored by the IHCC Student Senate.

Saturday has been designated Bob Traxler Appreciation Day. Traxler, the longtime supporter of the college and its baseball program, will be honored during that day’s twinbill.

Also on Saturday, the IHCC Campus Store staff will be at Pat Daugherty Field from 2 to3:30 providing fans the chance to purchase Falcons’ apparel and novelties.

In case of rain on Saturday, the events will be moved to Sunday.

Winning Streak at Eight for IHCC

West Burlington, IA -- Indian Hills coach Cam Walker used the occasion of a non-league game against Southeastern CC to give his top two starting pitchers some work and the Falcons' offense came through with 14 hits in a 9-2 win at SCC on Saturday night.

Cashtyn DeLeeuw went the first three innings for IHCC and Jordan Piche pitched the next four frames.  They combined to shut out the BlackHawks on only three hits and struck out 10.  Piche was credited with the win, his 9th of the spring.

Leading the offensive attack for the Falcons were Tyler Hermann, who had three hits and Jeremy Delgado, Levi Grassley and Daryl Velez with two each.  Yuliecer Arias, Taylor Ostrich and Grassley scored two runs apiece.

The Falcons are now 29-20 and will play a conference doubleheader at Muscatine CC on Wednesday.

Two Wins Against Muscatine Keep Falcons Rolling

Muscatine, IA -- Indian Hills ran its winning streak to seven games, all conference victories, in sweeping a pair from Muscatine, 9-2 and 14-3, on Wednesday.

The Falcons had more runs than hits in both games, but took advantage of MCC walks and errors to push their season record to 28-20.  They are 16-10 in the conference.

Levi Grassley got the first-game scoring going with a leadoff homer in the 2nd inning.  The Falcons put the game away with four runs in the 5th and three in the 6th.  Taylor Ostrich had a 3-for-4 game, the only IHCC hitter with more than one hit.  Ostrich and Yuliecer Arias each drove in two runs and Arias and Adam Deneke both scored a pair of runs.

Jake Stalzer went the first six innings and got the win for IHCC.  He gave up four hits and struck out eight.  A.J. McElderry finished up, fanning two in his only inning.

The Falcons broke out the offense in the second game with home runs by Raul Centeno and Francis Marcelo.  Marcelo's shot was a three-run blow.  Darryl Velez, Guillermo Cruz, Marcelo and Zach Sims all had two-hit games and Marcelo scored three times with four RBIs.  Velez and Kevin Arroyo both had three RBIs.

Anthony Gagliardi teamed with Deneke and Tyler Sparger on the mound for the Falcons.  They permitted only six hits and struck out 12, seven Ks by Gagliardi in four innings. 

Indian Hills will play a non-conference game at Southeastern CC on Saturday.

Falcons Sweep Marshalltown

Centerville -- A pair of one-run wins on Saturday and some big hitting on Sunday allowed the Indian Hills Falcons to take all four games in a weekend series with conference foe Marshalltown CC.  The sweep stretched the IHCC winning streak against the Tigers to seven games.  MCC won the series opener in a four-game set earlier in the season, but Indian Hills recovered to win the next three games.

A fielder's choice grounder scored the game-winning run in a 4-3 IHCC victory in the first game Saturday. The Falcons rallied from deficits of 7-1 and 9-5 in the second game and pulled out a 10-9 win when Zach Sims singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the 9th.

Sunday's contests weren't that exciting as the Falcons turned to their sophomore righthanders, Cashtyn DeLeeuw and Jordan Piche, to knock off MCC by scores of 9-2 and 7-3.

Piche scattered eight hits and struck out six to win the pitching matchup with the Tigers' all-region lefty, Jeff Degano.

IHCC scored seven runs in four innings against Degano with a four-run 4th ending his day.  Six straight batters reached base in that inning with Daryl Velez, Jeremy Delgado and Yuliecer Arias contributing three straight singles.  Arias had doubled to drive in a first-inning run and Guillermo Cruz singled home another.  Delgado had an RBI-hit in the 2nd. 

Delgado was 3-for-3 with a walk and Arias and Velez each had two hits.

In the first game, IHCC jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings.  They scored two runs in the 1st and then batted around to score three more in the 3rd.  The Falcons finished off MCC with a three-run 6th.

Delgado, Cruz and Adam Deneke all had two-hit games and Tyler Hermann delivered a two-run double in the 6th.

DeLeeuw went the first five innings, giving up one earned run and seven hits with five Ks.  Matt Lashlee threw two scoreless innings in relief.

Sims was in the middle of the game-tying and game-winning rallies in Saturday's second game. 

A three-run homer by Raul Centeno was followed by a Sims run-scoring single as the Falcons came back from 9-5 deficit in the bottom of the 7th.  Sims then singled home Francis Marcelo in the bottom of the 9th for the win.

Jason Bonilla had a homer and double and Sims had three singles as part of IHCC's 14-hit attack.

Jake Stalzer, the fifth Falcons pitcher, got the win in relief.  Relievers Sam Ross, Darwin Miranda, A.J. McElderry and Stalzer combined to allow MCC only six hits and two runs over the final 5 2/3 innings.

Indian Hills had only three hits, but that was sufficient to win a one-run decision in the first game of the weekend.  Kevin Arroyo doubled home Hermann and then scored on a Deneke base hit to give IHCC a 3-2 lead in the 4th.  After MCC tied it in the 5th, Deneke's infield groundout brought home the winning run in the 6th.

Anthony Gagliardi went the first six innings for the Falcons and got the win.  McElderry came out of the bullpen and retired the first three hitters in the lineup in order in the 7th to pick up his 6th save of the season.

The wins leave the Falcons with a season record of 26-20 and a conference mark of 14-10.  They go to Muscatine for a league twinbill on Wednesday.

Falcons Rally For Split

Creston, IA -- After losing the first game of a Region 11 doubleheader with Southwestern CC, 5-3, Indian Hills recovered to take the nightcap, 8-7, scoring a run in the top of the 8th inning to gain the split.

Yuliecer Arias singled home Kevin Arroyo with the game-winning run in the top of the 8th and A.J. McElderry who had blown the save opportunity by allowing SCC to score twice in the bottom of the 7th, shut down the Spartans in the last of the 8th to get the win.

The Falcons overcame some shaky defense with only two of the Spartans' seven runs earned.  IHCC starter Jake Stalzer only gave up two hits in 4 1/3 innings and struck out six, but was charged with four unearned runs.  Adam Deneke pitched well in relief of Stalzer, striking out four in 1 2/3 innings.

Arias had three hits and two RBIs and Zach Sims had two hits and scored twice for IHCC.  Daryl Velez had a three-run homer in a five-run 3rd inning.

Indian Hills scored a run in the top of the 5th to take a 3-2 lead in the opening game, only to see Southwestern plate three runs in the bottom of the inning.  All the runs were charged to starter Matt Lashlee who took the loss.

IHCC outhit Southwestern 9-7 with Arias and Levi Grassley getting two hits apiece.  Grassley, Jason Bonilla and Tyler Hermann had the RBIs.

A four-game weekend series at home against Marshalltown CC is next up for the Falcons.

Falcons Pick Up Non-Conference Win

Centerville -- Freshman pitcher Sam Ross went five strong innings in a starting role and Indian Hills backed him with two runs in the 1st inning and a four-run 4th to knock off visiting North Central (Mo.), 7-2, on Tuesday at Pat Daugherty Field.

Ross allowed only three hits and a pair of unearned runs. Dylan Settle and A.J. McElderry each went one inning in relief.

"It was a very good outing by Ross," said IHCC Cam Walker, "as he persevered through some shaky defense early in the game."

The Falcons (21-19) jumped ahead with two runs in the first on an RBI-double by Taylor Ostrich and a run-scoring single by Levi Grassley.

They added four runs on only two hits in the 4th, the big blow a two-run triple by Jeremy Delgado.

Adam Deneke closed out the scoring with a solo homer in the 6th.

Indian Hills will travel to Fort Dodge to take on Iowa Central in a non-league twinbill on Thursday.

Falcons Battle, But Can't Knock Off Iowa Western

Centerville -- Indian Hills will have to be content with knowing they came close in their four-game series with top-ranked Iowa Western, but the Falcons couldn't duplicate an early-season win over the Reivers and lost all four games on their home field on Sunday and Monday.

The Falcons lost by one, two and three runs in the series. Iowa Western won 16-9 and 3-2 Sunday and 8-5 and 2-0 Monday.

IHCC sophomore Cashtyn DeLeeuw lost a tough game in the series finale, holding Iowa Western to their lowest run total of the season in the 2-0 defeat. DeLeeuw gave up only five hits and single runs in the 4th and 7th innings with one walk and four strikeouts.

His teammates, however, couldn't generate much offense against four IWCC pitchers. The Falcons were limited to four hits, two by Yuliecer Arias. In only one inning, the 2nd, did they have more than one baserunner. That inning, after a single by Jason Bonilla and a hit batsman, the next three batters all struck out.

Monday's first game saw IHCC's Jordan Piche get the start. Piche had defeated Iowa Western, 7-3, on March 24 in Council Bluffs, the Reivers only loss of the season.

And Piche deserved a better fate this time in an 8-5 loss. Half of the runs he allowed were unearned. Piche did allow a dozen hits, but minimized the damage in the innings in which the Reivers scored. He struck out six and didn't walk anyone.

Iowa Western went ahead 6-0 after 3 1/2 innings. The Falcons started to chip away at the lead with two runs in the 4th and three in the 5th.

Four singles led to the two runs in the 4th. An RBI-double by Arias, a run-scoring single by Levi Grassley and a sacrifice fly by Bonilla plated the runs in the 5th. Francis Marcelo, with his team trailing by two runs, chased the IWCC leftfielder back to the fence to catch his bid for a game-tying homer to end that inning.

Grassley and Taylor Ostrich had two hits each for IHCC and Ostrich scored twice.

Indian Hills wasted a good pitching performance by freshman Anthony Gagliardi in the second game on Sunday, a 3-2 loss. After the teams combined for 25 runs and 26 hits in the opener, Gagliardi permitted only three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six.

The Falcons tied the game at 1-all on a double by Jeremy Delgado in the 3rd and got to within 3-2 when Bonilla singled home Grassley, who had doubled, in the 6th. Delgado had two of the six hits for IHCC.

The two teams took advantage of the wind blowing out in the opener. Iowa Western had three home runs and the Falcons had a grand-slam from Bonilla and a two-run shot by Delgado. They combined to drive in all nine runs for Indian Hills.

Falcons' pitchers Tyler Sparger and Darwin Miranda couldn't keep the high-scoring Reivers offense in check, with Sparger taking the loss. The Falcons committed five errors leading to seven unearned runs.

Indian Hills will play a non-conference game against North Central (Mo) on Tuesday and then return to league play in a doubleheader at Southwestern CC on Wednesday.

DeLeeuw, Piche Pitch IHCC to Another Sweep

Creston, Ia. -- The one-two pitching punch of Cashtyn DeLeeuw and Jordan Piche was in midseason form again on Wednesday as the sophomore duo led Indian Hills to an ICCAC sweep over Southwestern CC. The Falcons won 6-1 and 5-0.

For the third straight time, DeLeeuw and Piche each won his start on the same day as the Falcons (20-15) ran their current winning streak to seven and moved their conference record to 9-5. Indian Hills has won 10 out of its last 11 games and 12 out of 15.

DeLeeuw went the first five innings in the opener against the Spartans, giving up only five hits and a single run, striking out eight with one walk.

Leadoff hitter Jeremy Delgado got things started for IHCC in the 1st with a single. He came home on a single by Levi Grassley and Jason Bonilla followed with a two-run double.

In the 4th, Taylor Ostrich singled home Adam Deneke and Guillermo Cruz to make it 5-1. And the Falcons added a final run in the 6th.

Cruz had three hits and Ostrich, Bonilla and Deneke each had two.

Meanwhile, DeLeeuw was in control, allowing only a 2nd inning run. Tyler Sparger and Sam Ross each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Piche was his usual dominant self in game two, running his current win streak to seven. He spaced seven hits in six shutout innings, didn't walk anyone and struck out seven.

Anthony Gagliardi finished up with a hitless 7th.

IHCC made the most of only four hits, getting two runs in the 3rd, one in the 4th and two more in the 6th.

Deneke had a double in the 3rd and a triple in the 6th for half of the Falcons' hits.

Indian Hills took advantage of a hit batsman in the 3rd, three walks and an error in the next inning and another error in the 6th to score their runs.

The Falcons will host league-leading Iowa Western this weekend. Iowa Western's only loss of the season came in a series against Indian Hills is late March in Council Bluffs. The doubleheaders will start at 1:00 both Saturday and Sunday.

Dominant Pitching Pushes IHCC Over .500 Mark

Centerville -- A four-game sweep in which the pitching staff gave up only five runs allowed Indian Hills to move its season record above .500 as the Falcons picked up four wins against visiting Dakota County (MN) on Friday and Saturday.

And the Falcons needed that solid pitching because their bats really came alive only once in the four contests.

That was in the first game on Saturday when IHCC pounded out 13 hits and thrashed Dakota County, 12-1, in five innings.

The second game that day saw five IHCC pitchers combine on a five-hitter in a 3-2 win that was accomplished on Levi Grassley's walk-off homer in the bottom of the 7th inning.

On Friday, coach Cam Walker got solid outings from his top two starters, Jordan Piche and Cashtyn DeLeeuw, in a sweep, winning by scores of 2-1 and 5-1.

Piche overcame a somewhat shaky start, giving up a run in the 1st before he settled down and threw five shutout innings. Jake Stalzer finished up with a perfect 7th inning.

Piche walked two and fanned five while allowing only five hits in picking up his 5th win in a row.

Jason Bonilla's long home run with one out in the 3rd tied the score at one and the eventual game-winning run scored that inning on an error on a ball hit by Guillermo Cruz. Jeremy Delgado doubled and scored when the DCTC third baseman couldn't come up with Cruz's grounder.

Two of the three IHCC hits came in that inning; Cruz singled in the 6th, but was left stranded at 3rd.

DeLeeuw went the first four innings in game two Friday and struck out eight while pitching three-hit shutout ball. Darwin Miranda went the final three innings, giving up two hits and a rur.

A four-run 4th started the scoring for IHCC. Arias and Adam Deneke had the only hits in the inning as the Falcons took advantage of three walks and an error. Delgado's double drove in the final run in the 4th.

Grassley's homer in the final inning on Saturday made a winner of A.J. McElderry who pitched one inning of relief. He followed Sam Ross, Anthony Gagliardi, Tyler Sparger and Jake Stalzer to the mound. The quintet combined to give up just five hits and two runs while striking out eight.

IHCC trailed 2-0 after 5 1/2 innings. Delgado had a leadoff double and Taylor Ostrich drew a one-out walk before Arias tied the score at 2-all with a two-run double. Delgado had two hits.

In game one, Matt Lashlee benefited from the Falcons' best offensive game of the series in picking up the win. Lashlee went all five innings, allowed three hits and the lone run with a walk and a half-dozen strikeouts in his best performance of the spring.

Indian Hills scored two runs in the 1st and then exploded for nine runs in the 3rd. They sent 13 men to the plate in the big inning.

Ostrich's homer, two doubles by Arias and one by Deneke and a triple by Francis Marcelo were the big hits in the inning. Eight of the nine hitters in the lineup had at least one hit with Arias getting three and Kevin Arroyo, Grassley and Bonilla picking up two each.

Indian Hills is now 18-15 and has won five in a row and eight of its last nine games. The pitching staff has given up a total of 14 runs in those nine games.

The Falcons return to conference play in a mid-week doubleheader at Southwestern CC on Wednesday. They will host league-leading Iowa Western in a four-game series next weekend.

Falcons, Cardinals Split Pair of Low-Scoring Games

Centerville -- After losing the first game of an ICCAC twinbill on Wednesday, Indian Hills coach gave the ball to Tyler Sparger to try and get the Falcons a split. And Sparger delivered in his first start of the season.

Indian Hills won game two, 3-1, as Sparger went five strong innings. Muscatine took the opener 2-0 behind the three-hit shutout pitching of Michael Allen.

Sparger gave up a second-inning run in the nightcap, but his teammates rallied with three runs in the 3rd. All of the runs were unearned as MCC committed three errors in the inning. Adam Deneke had a one-out single and scored on one of the miscues. Jason Bonilla singled home the third run of the frame. Taylor Ostrich brought home the other run with a sacrifice fly.

Sparger went five innings and gave up only three hits with six strikeouts. Jake Stalzer pitched a scoreless 6th inning and A.J. McElderry notched his 6th save, pitching the 7th.

Indian Hills won despite only five hits, all singles. In fact, the Falcons didn't have an extra-base hit all day. They were held to just three singles in the first game as Allen faced the minimum number of hitters in five of the seven innings.

Yuliecer Arias had two of IHCC's hits and Ostrich had the other one.

Anthony Gagliardi was the losing pitcher, although he deserved a better fate. Gagliardi, who lost a possible win his last start when the bullpen failed to hold a two-run lead, went 5 2/3 innings and gave up only six hits and two runs with eight strikeouts and three walks. Sam Ross, in relief, set down all four men he faced.

Indian Hills will host Dakota County (MN) in a four-game series at Pat Daugherty Field on Friday and Saturday.

Falcons Take Series at Marshalltown

Marshalltown, Ia. -- Dominating pitching performaces by Cashtyn DeLeeuw and Jordan Piche in a Sunday doubleheader allowed Indian Hills to sweep Marshalltown as the Falcons won the final three games of the weekend series after losing a one-run decision in the first game.

Both finals on Saturday were 5-4. The IHCC win in game two came courtesy of a solo homerun by Levi Grassley leading off the 7th inning.

Grassley had homered in the first game too, but the Falcons couldn't overcome an early 5-0 deficit.

Cashtyn DeLeeuw got the start in Sunday's opener and did not allow an earned run in IHCC's 5-2 win. He spaced four hits while fanning 11 and walking three in his 103-pitch outing.

The Falcons only managed five hits, but took advantage of some MCC miscues to score three runs in the 4th and two more in the 5th.

Yuliecer Arias, who went 3-for-3, singled in both innings and scored a run while driving in two.

Piche was even better than DeLeeuw in the second game, permitting just two hits and no walks while striking out seven in a 4-0 whitewashing. Piche hasn't lost since the season-opener against MCC-Maple Woods.

His teammates got him the only run he would need in the 1st when Tyler Hermann was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. They tacked on two more in the 5th on Taylor Ostrich's two-run double. Adam Deneke's sacrifice fly brought home the final run in the 6th.

Ostrich had three of IHCC's six hits and Guillermo Cruz scored twice.

Hermann's homer, a line shot down the left-field line, in Saturday's second game gave the win to Jake Stalzer. A.J. McElderry pitched a one-two-three 7th for his fifth save.

Anthony Gagliardi started for the Falcons and left in the 6th with a 4-2 lead. But MCC tied the game on a pair of run-scoring wild pitches.

After trailing 2-0, Adam Deneke got Indian Hills on the scoreboard with a three-run homer to left in the 5th. Cruz doubled in Jeremy Delgado later in the inning.

Francis Marcelo and Grassley had two hits apiece.

Marshalltown's Jeff Degano, an all-region pitcher for the Tigers last year, made his first start of the season in game one and shut out the Falcons on two hits into the 5th inning.

Grassley started the IHCC comeback with a solo homer to left. The Falcons added two runs in the 6th and scored a run in the 7th on a run-scoring grounder, but the rally came up short.

A bright spot for Indian Hills was the work out of the bullpen by Tyler Sparger. He came on in relief of starter Matt Lashlee, who was charged with all five MCC runs, and gave up only one hit with four Ks in three innings.

Delgado had two hits for the Falcons.

Next up for Indian Hills is a home doubleheader with Muscatine CC on Wednesday.

Falcons Lose Non-League Game to Iowa Central

Centerville -- The Indian Hills baseball team failed to keep the momentum gained from the previous day's conference sweep against Muscatine CC and got drilled by Iowa Central CC, 11-1, in a non-conference matchup at Pat Daugherty Field on Thursday.

The Tritons pounded out 14 hits against three IHCC pitchers with starter Kyle Maldonado taking the loss. He gave up five runs in the first four innings and relievers Francisco Quinonez and Dylan Settle were charged with the final six ICCC runs.

Indian Hills had only seven hits in the nine-inning game and all of them were singles.

Indian Hills will play a four-game conference series at Marshalltown this weekend with two games both Saturday and Sunday.

Last-Inning Rally Leads to Sweep

Centerville -- Tyler Hermann's run-scoring single in the bottom of the 7th capped a four-run rally and allowed Indian Hills to complete a sweep of visiting Muscatine CC in the Falcons' home opener on Wednesday. The late-game heroics allowed IHCC to win game two, 6-5, after a 9-1 victory in the first game.

IHCC sophomore right-handers Jordan Piche and Tyler Sparger combined to limit the Cardinals to just two hits in game one and the Falcons scored in five of their six at-bats in picking up the win.

Piche allowed two hits and the lone MCC run in five innings of work, striking out five while walking one. Sparger fanned three in two perfect innings of relief.

The hitting stars included Taylor Ostrich, who was 3-for-4, Adam Deneke, 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs, and Jeremy Delgado and Hermann with two hits each. Jason Bonilla started the scoring for the Falcons with a two-out two-run homer in the bottom of the 1st.

Delgado tripled and scored ahead of Bonilla in the first, then had a two-run single in the 2nd. Deneke had a pair of singles to go along with a two-run double.

Muscatine took an early 4-0 lead in the second game against IHCC starter Cashtyn DeLeeuw. The Falcons scored single runs in the 3rd and 6th innings, but trailed 5-2 going into the bottom of the 7th. Kevin Arroyo started the uprising with a single and Deneke followed with a double, the first of six straight Falcons to reach base.

Delgado, Yuliecer Arias and Guillermo Cruz had consecutive singles -- Arias' was a two-run hit -- and, after a walk to Ostrich, Hermann ended the game with his single. Six of IHCC's 11 hits for the game came in their final at-bat.

Arias had three hits and Delgado and Hermann two each.

A big part of the Indian Hills victory was the work of a pair of freshmen lefthanders, Jake Stalzer and A.J. McElderry, out of the bullpen. After DeLeeuw was lifted in the second inning, Stalzer and McElderry combined to limit MCC to just two hits and an unearned run over the final 5 2/3 innings. Stalzer fanned six in four innings and McElderry, who was credited with his first win of the season, struck out two of the four men he faced.

The sweep pushes the Falcons' season record to 10-12. They will host Iowa Central on Thursday, then head to Marshalltown for a four-game conference series this weekend.

Piche Stops Reivers' Win Streak

Council Bluffs, Ia. -- Jordan Piche threw a complete-game, five-hitter to hand Iowa Western its first loss of the season as Indian Hills used the sophomore righthander's performance to notch a 7-3 victory on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Falcons, it was their only win in the four-game weekend series that began conference play for both teams.

In the second game on Saturday, Piche allowed single runs in the 3rd, 5th and 6th innings against Iowa Western's potent lineup, but still found himself on the short end of a 3-2 score heading into the 7th inning.

That's when Indian Hills exploded for five runs, the last three on a bases-loaded double by Guillermo Cruz, to come from behind and deal IWCC the loss. The first two runs had come across on fielder's choice grounders.

Piche went out in the bottom of the 7th and completed the route-going effort in which he walked three and struck out four, while giving up only five hits.

Cruz, Taylor Ostrich, Tyler Hermann and Jeremy Delgado each had two hits for the Falcons. Ostrich was 7-for-12 in the series.

Adam Deneke's forceout grounder accounted for the go-ahead run in the 7th.

Iowa Western broke open a close game in Saturday's opener, scoring four times in the 6th to win 6-2.

Indian Hills was held scoreless until plating two runs in the 7th on singles by Hermann, Kevin Arroyo and Deneke and a walk. Hermann and Deneke each had a two-hit game. The Falcons outhit IWCC 7-6, but missed some scoring chances early in the game.

IHCC starter Cashtyn DeLeeuw allowed only two runs in the first five innings before the Reivers scored four times in the 6th. DeLeeuw was solid, giving up only six hits and striking out four.

Iowa Western took the series by winning both games on Sunday, 7-0 and 7-2.

Anthony Gagliardi shut out the Reivers for the first three innings in the opener, but IWCC scored four in the 4th and two more in the 5th.

Indian Hills managed only five hits, all singles, two by Ostrich.

The Reivers finished off the Sunday sweep by jumping out to a 6-1 lead against IHCC's Matt Lashlee.

The Falcons got strong relief pitching from Jake Stalzer and A.J. McElderry, the two lefthanders combining to give up only three hits and an unearned run over the final four innings.

Ostrich and Yuliecer Arias had a pair of hits each for IHCC. Arias's 3rd-inning double was Indian Hills' only extra-base hit for the day.

The Falcons return to action in their home opener on Wednesday, a doubleheader against Muscatine CC starting at 2:00.

Falcons Hold Off Glendale for Split

Glendale, AZ -- Indian Hills used three relievers to stem a late-game rally and hold on to beat Glendale CC, 7-6, to gain a split of Monday's doubleheader. Glendale broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the 5th to take the opener, 5-1.

Anthony Gagliardi started the second game for IHCC and held Glendale without a hit for the first five innings. But a high pitch count forced Falcons' coach Cam Walker to go to his bullpen in the 6th, with Indian Hills holding a 7-1 lead. By the time the inning had ended, Glendale had cut the lead to one run. Sam Ross, the third IHCC pitcher in the inning, got out of the inning, stranding the tying and go-ahead runners on base.

Ross struck out three of the four hitters he faced in getting the save as Gagliardi notched his first collegiate win.

After being held to just one run in the opener, the Falcons started fast in the second game, scoring four times in the top of the 1st. Tyler Hermann's bases-loaded triple was the big blow in the inning. Jason Bonilla singled in a run before Hermann's hit.

The top three hitters in the IHCC order -- Kevin Arroyo, Yuliecer Arias and Guillermo Cruz -- had consecutive run-scoring singles as Indian Hills tacked on three more runs in the 4th.

Arias had three hits and Hermann two and seven different players scored a run.

Cruz knocked in Zach Sims with a single to account for Indian Hills' only run in the first game.

IHCC starter Jake Stalzer was cruising along for four innings, but a leadoff walk and a hit on an 0-2 count started Glendale's four-run 5th.

Indian Hills had six hits, but only one was an extra-base hit. That was a double by Cruz, who was the only Falcon with two hits.

A doubleheader with South Mountain CC on Tuesday is next up for the Falcons who are 5-3 after dividing the two contests on Monday.

A Sweep Starts the Falcons' Stay in Arizona

Phoenix, AZ -- Indian Hills began its eight-day schedule in Arizona with a pair of victories over Monroe College from New York on Saturday, beating them 15-1 and 4-2.

The Falcons used a four-run 6th inning and a 10-run 7th to break a 1-all tie in the opener, then parlayed a four-run uprising in the 5th inning of the nightcap to complete the sweep.

The first game was a pitcher's duel until IHCC's Jason Bonilla snapped a 1-1 deadlock with a solo homer leading off the 6th. After a flyout, the Falcons then got a single from Tyler Hermann and consecutive doubles by Levi Grassley, Taylor Ostrich and Kevin Arroyo to add three more runs.

But the Falcons were just getting warmed up. They scored 10 runs on eight hits, three walks and an error in the 7th.

Guillermo Cruz and Kelvin Brito each had two hits in the inning, Adam Deneke had a run-scoring double and Zach Sims a two-run triple.

Cruz and Grassley had three-hit games and 11 different players had a hit for the Falcons. Cruz also had three stolen bases.

Cashtyn DeLeeuw picked up his 2nd win of the young season for IHCC. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed only five hits and one run with four walks and seven Ks. A.J. McElderry finished up by retiring all four hitters he faced.

A three-run homer by Arroyo in the top of the 5th inning brought Indian Hills from behind for the win in the second game. Starter Jordan Piche gave up single runs in the 3rd and 4th innings and the Falcons trailed 2-0 heading into the 5th.

Hermann led off the top of the 5th with a double and, after a walk to Ostrich, Arroyo connected for his first homer as a Falcon. IHCC added an insurance run when Deneke singled and came home on a double by Yuliecer Arias.

Piche went the distance and gave up six hits and two runs, both earned. He walked only one and fanned eight.

A Second Split for Falcons in Missouri

Liberty, MO -- For the second day in a row, Indian Hills split a pair of games with MCC-Maple Woods as the Falcons had a final tuneup before their annual trip to Arizona.

This time, the Falcons missed out on a chance to sweep the Monarchs, winning 13-2 in five innings, then losing 7-6 in a game in which they had an early 5-0 lead.

IHCC used an 8-run second inning to blow open the first game.

Guilermo Cruz led off the game with a home run and Jason Bonilla doubled home a run later in the 1st.

After the first two hitters were retired in the IHCC 2nd, the next nine batters all reached base and eight of them scored. The big hits in the inning were doubles by Cruz and Tyler Hermann and the first collegiate homer by Taylor Ostrich.

Cruz, Hermann, Levi Grassley and Ostrich all drove in two runs; Cruz and Francis Marcelo had three hits and Yuliecer Arias had two. Everyone in the IHCC lineup, even three reserves, had at least one hit.

Matt Lashlee got the win in relief of starter Anthony Gagliardi. Lashlee, in three shutout innings, allowed three hits and no walks.

The Falcons scored single runs in the first two innings of the second game and tacked on three more in the 3rd to go ahead 5-0. The third-inning runs came on Hermann's bases-loaded double.

Jake Stalzer started on the mound for the Falcons and was strong early, striking out six in the first three innings. But coach Cam Walker said Stalzer "tired and hit the wall" in the next two innings, giving up five runs. He did strike out nine in four-plus innings.

Sam Ross took the loss in relief, giving up single runs in the 6th and 7th.

Bonilla had a solo homer in the 5th for IHCC's final run. Cruz had a two-hit game from the leadoff spot for the Falcons and he and Bonilla each scored twice.

The Falcons will leave for Arizona on Thursday and play their first games there on Saturday against Monroe College from New York.

Falcons Open With Split in Missouri

Liberty, MO -- In what has to be one of their earliest openers ever on a midwestern field, Indian Hills divided a pair of games with MCC-Maple Woods on Sunday. The Falcons squandered a good pitching performance by sophomore Jordan Piche in the opener in dropping a 2-1 decision, then gained the split with a 3-0 win in the nightcap.

Sophomore Cashtyn DeLeeuw, who led IHCC in pitching victories last year, won in his inaugural start of the season in game two, throwing six innings and giving up only two hits and one walk while striking out four. Freshman A.J. McElderry threw a scoreless inning in his collegiate debut and was credited with a save.

"DeLeeuw was outstanding," said IHCC coach Cam Walker. "He competed even though he didn't have his best stuff. And we played great defense behind him."

IHCC scored single runs in the 4th, 5th and 7th innings to post the win.

Yuliecer Arias reached on an error leading off the 4th and scored the only run DeLeeuw would need on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Ostrich.

Guillermo Cruz had another sacrifice fly to drive in Anthony Gagliardi in the 5th and Arias doubled home Kevin Arroyo in the 7th after Arroyo led off the inning with a double.

Arias and Arroyo each had two hits for the Falcons.

In the opener, Piche shut out the Monarchs for the first five innings before they broke through for a pair of runs in the bottom of the 6th. Indian Hills had grabbed an early 1-0 lead when Levi Grassley singled and came around to score in the 2nd inning.

Indian Hills outhit Maple Woods 6-3, but the Falcons couldn't come up with the big hit when they needed it, stranding runners in scoring position in four different innings. They had a chance to tie the score or go ahead in the top of the 7th when Arroyo doubled and Cruz singled, but a fly out ended the game.

Coach Walker lamented the fact that his team couldn't come through in the clutch. "We had chances in the 2nd and 3rd innings to put the game away, but couldn't get the big hit. I felt we outplayed them in every facet of the game, but they got two hits in the 6th from their 3 and 4 hitters and that was enough."

Indian Hills will stay in Missouri and make up Saturday's scheduled doubleheader with a twinbill on Monday. The Falcons depart on Thursday for their southern trip to Arizona.

Coach Walker Headed to the Hall of Fame

OTTUMWA --- Veteran Indian Hills Community College baseball coach Cam Walker is a member of the 2012 Baseball Hall of Fame class announced this week by the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association.

Walker will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a banquet at this year’s NJCAA Division I World Series in Grand Junction, Col. in May.

Walker is ready to begin his 20th year as the head coach of the Falcons, the longest head-coaching stint in school history.

He will join two former IHCC coaches in the NJCAA Hall of Fame. Pat Daugherty was inducted into the Hall in 1984 and Rick Mathews entered in 1998.

Walker’s Hall of Fame credentials include an overall record of 746-359, an average of nearly 40 wins a season. He has produced over 60 players who have been drafted or signed professional contracts.

Since taking over as head coach at IHCC, Walker has taken seven teams to the NJCAA World Series. He led his first Falcons squad to Grand Junction in his inaugural season in 1993 after serving as pitching coach at Indian Hills, his alma mater, for four years under Mathews.

Walker calls his Hall of Fame selection “exciting and humbling,” saying “when I received the call I immediately thought of Pat Daugherty and Rick Mathews and what an honor it was that I was able to follow in the footsteps of coaches that had been mentors to me and had such an impact on my career.”

“I also thought of the amazing opportunity I had been given by Lyle Hellyer and Jim Lindenmayer and the resources Indian Hills and Centerville have given to our program to make it such a success.”

Walker has been named Region 11 as well as North District Coach of the Year eight times and in six of those seasons he was also chosen as the ABCA Louisville Slugger Coach of the Year.

Eight of Walker’s former players have advanced to play in the major leagues and many others have been placed on the 40-man rosters of major league clubs. Well over one hundred other players have graduated and/or transferred and gone on to NCAA and NAIA programs throughout the country, furthering their education and baseball careers.

Walker said, “This is really not an honor for me as much as it is for all the people who have touched my life and made me who I am by encouraging me, giving me opportunities, teaching and supporting me and believing in me.”

He concluded by saying, “I’m excited for what this means for our program and the opportunity I will have to represent all those people on May 25 in Grand Junction. It would make me even prouder to be able to look out and see the Indian Hills Falcon baseball team and coaches in the audience that evening.”

The IHCC head coach, a native of the Canadian province of Manitoba, came to Indian Hills in 1980 as a pitcher and eventually transferred to Western Kentucky University. He signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1982 and was a California League All-Star in the Brewers’ organization. He also played on two minor league teams that won league championships.

As a player, Walker was a member of the 1981 Canadian National Team that participated in the InterContinental Cup. He was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.

In addition to his duties with Indian Hills, Walker has previously served as an affiliate scout for the San Diego Padres and as a minor league pitching coach with the Colorado Rockies.

Walker’s 20th IHCC team will open its season at Maple Woods CC on March 3.

Einertson to Speak at Baseball Banquet

CENTERVILLE --- An Indian Hills Community College graduate who pitched for the New York Yankees will be the guest speaker for the annual IHCC baseball banquet on Thursday, February 2. The banquet will be held at the Manhattan Restaurant in Centerville.

Darrell Einertson was a pitcher on Indian Hills teams that played in the NJCAA World Series in 1992 and ’93. Einertson had graduated from Urbandale High School before going to IHCC and pitched at Cameron University and Iowa Wesleyan College after his two seasons with the Falcons.

He signed with the Yankees after being taken in the 11th round of the MLB Draft in 1995. After working his way up through the Yankees’ minor league system, Einertson made his major league debut in April 2000. He appeared in 11 games and posted a 3.55 ERA.

The Indian Hills baseball banquet will include dinner, an auction, the introduction of the 2012 IHCC baseball squad and remarks by Einertson. A social will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7:00.

Tickets for the event are $15 each and can be purchased in advance at the IHCC Administration Building on the Centerville campus. Tickets will also be available at the door.