BY IAN SMITH, Courier sports writer
May 08, 2008 11:50 pm
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OTTUMWA — This time of year there are no surprises. It simply comes down to execution.
Indian Hills (26-24, 9-7) needs to be at its best as the team hosts the Region XI Baseball Tournament this weekend. The Falcons have played the other four teams coming to Centerville a combined 18 times this season.
One of Indian Hills most familiar foes is Muscatine Community College. The Falcons greet the Cardinals on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Pat Daugherty Field. The winner advances to the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the double elimination tournament.
The Falcons and Cardinals went back and forth in the six matchups this season. An early-season nonconference meeting in Centerville left Indian Hills reeling. Muscatine won the two games by a combined score of 19-7.
Last Saturday, Muscatine again took it to Indian Hills, winning 10-5 and 6-5. Finally last Sunday, the Falcons got revenge.
Joshua Gibbs gave the Falcons an edge on the mound in game one. Gibbs pitched all seven innings and only allowed two runs to score a 4-2 victory. In the second game of the doubleheader, Bryan Baum and Bill Schroeder hit home runs as Indian Hills pounded 11 hits. Baum also drove in four runs in the 11-6 win.
The two wins for Indian Hills were important. The victories gave the Falcons a 9-7 conference record and the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
Pitching will again play a huge role for Indian Hills this weekend. The Falcons gives up 5.9 runs per game. Indian Hills owns it fair share of shutouts, but it also has a tendancy to allow a crooked number once in a while.
Hitting is also paramount this weekend. The Warriors lineup features both power and speed. Baum, Schroeder and Christian Rivera provide much of the muscle.
Indian Hills averages 5.9 runs per game, but in wins that total raises to 8.3.
If Indian Hills can get past Muscatine on Friday, it will likely face Iowa Western in the quarterfinals. The Reivers are the heavy favorites to win the Region XI Tournament. Ninth-ranked Iowa Western travels to Centerville with a 47-9 record and a 15-1 mark in conference play.
The Reivers already showed Indian Hills their immense talent this season. On April 27-28, Iowa Western drubbed the Falcons by a combined score of 41-8 in a four-game sweep. The Reivers also scored a victory over Indian Hills in the 2007 Region XI Tournament title game.
Luckily, history is on Indian Hills’ side. The last time the Falcons hosted the Region XI Tournament in 2004, it won the whole thing. That same season, Indian Hills advanced to NJCAA World Series.
This year, Indian Hills is 13-10 at Pat Daugherty Field.
Indian Hills needs to take advantage of its home field advantage this weekend, and put together solid performances on the mound to have a chance. If the Falcons can, they will advance to the district tournament with a chance to make it the NJCAA World Series.
Region XI Tournament
At Pat Daugherty Field, Centerville
Marshalltown vs. Southwestern, 11 a.m.
Muscatine vs. Indian Hills, 2 p.m.
Iowa Western vs. TBA, 5 p.m.
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