IMS 1  Highland 4
IMS 7  Wapello 5

Megan Haifley

IMS traveled to Highland Monday night to take on the #14 ranked Highland Huskies.  Both pitchers looked good throughout the night. Highlands Mariah Freel gave up only two hits and struck out seven and IMS pitcher Laura Hochstetler gave up five hits, stuck out seven and allowed just three earned runs. Highland took the lead in the bottom of the third on a lead off double and then a perfectly placed base hit to make the score 0-1.  Highland scored another run in the bottom of the fifth on the lone IMS error of the night and added two more in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 0-4. IMS came out in the top of the seventh ready to make things interesting. After a lead off walk by Emma Yoder, Gretchen Geyer hit a double down the first base line to move Yoder to third with no outs. Megan Haifley came through with a sacrifice ground ball to score the only IMS run of the night. The IMS defense came through all night holding the Highland offense at bay and getting the outs when needed.

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Emma Yutzy and Laura Hochstetler

Mo Brenneman

Taking the momentum from playing well against Highland on Monday IMS came back on Tuesday to play a much improved Wapello team. Wapello struck first scoring the first run to make it 0-1 in the top of the first. After that the IMS defense shut things down retiring 15 of the next 19 batters. Keilah Brokaw, Megan Haifley, Emma Yutzy and Gretchen Geyer gobbled up everything on the infield making great plays to keep Wapello runners off the base paths. Laura Hochstetler came through on the mound striking out eight and allowing three earned runs on the night. In the fourth inning the IMS outfield came through with Mo Brenneman made a diving catch to end the inning. IMS had timely hitting and took advantage of some Wapello errors to score five runs in the bottom of the second inning with two outs. Emma Yutzy singled and Jacayla Litwiller moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. With two outs Laura Hochstetler scored a double to get the first run and then the flood gates opened. The next four batters reached base on three hits and one error scoring four more runs to make the score 5-1 heading into the third inning. IMS added another run in the fourth and one more in the sixth to make it 7-1 going into the top of the seventh.  Wapello wouldn’t quit, continuing to fight as they scored four runs in the top of the seventh to make the final score 7-5. 

“During these last two games I think we have played the best we have all year defensively. This has been an area of focus for us, making the plays that we need to when we need and we did that both against Highland and Wapello. These girls are working hard and I can see a lot of improvement from the beginning of the year until now. Our goal is to continue to improve game by game and practice by practice and we can see that happening” commented Head Coach Chris Nachtigall. 

IMS was led by Gretchen Geyer 4-4 with 2 SB 2 RBI, Laura Hochstetler 3-3 with 1 Run and 1 RBI, Mo Brenneman 3-4 with 3 SB 3 Runs and 1RBI, Emma Yutzy 1-2 with 1 Run, Naomi Miller  1-3 with 1 Run and Emma Yoder 1 Sac. 1 Run 1 RBI. 

IMS is 5-8 (5-4 SEISC) and will play next at home on Thursday against Lone Tree.