Ottumwa, IA – Indian Hills Softball split its home opener with Black Hawk College (IL) at R.L. Hellyer Field on Saturday afternoon, picking up a 6-4 win in the opener before falling 5-3 in the finale vs. the Braves. The Warriors move to 9-15 overall on the year.
Indian Hills pounded out 17 hits on the day to earn the split with Black Hawk. With the game one victory, the Warriors have now won 12 consecutive home openers at R.L. Hellyer Field.
Indian Hils took the initial lead in each of the two contests on its home diamond on Saturday. The Warriors held off a late rally from Black Hawk in game one, but a late push from the Braves in the nightcap cost Indian Hills the doubleheader sweep.
Freshman Kate Hickenbottom (Davenport, IA/Davenport Assumption) tallied four hits on the day, including three in game two while providing a strong relief outing in the circle. Fellow freshman Bailey Tegeler (Dixon, IL/Dixon) added three hits on the afternoon for the Warriors.
What a strike from Bailey Tegeler ��
— Indian Hills Softball (@WarriorSoftball) March 14, 2026
A 7-2 DP gets the Warriors out of the 4th.#WarriorNation pic.twitter.com/hYG5s12Iab
The Warriors took an early 1-0 lead in the first of game one before Hickenbottom provided the first home run at R.L. Hellyer Field this season in the third, a two-run shot to deep center field. Tegeler delivered a three-run home run to deep right field to put the game out of reach in the fourth.
Sophomore Maggie Grant (Onaway, MI/Inland Lakes) provided a strong showing in the circle in the opener with 6.1 innings of work to earn her sixth victory of the year. Hickenbottom closed out the contest in the seventh to earn her first save of the season.
Freshman Sophia Revallo (Metamora, IL/East Peoria) picked up two hits to aid the offensive attack in the game one victory.
Indian Hills struck first in the nightcap as freshman Kaitlyn Taylor (terling, IL/Sterling) delivered a run-scoring double in the bottom half of the second. An RBI single from Gabby Lane (East Peoria, IL/East Peoria) doubled the lead in the second for the early edge.
Black Hawk responded with five runs in the top of the third to jump ahead of the Warriors, but an RBI single from Hickenbottom in the fifth cut into the deficit. The Warriors threatened late in the bottom of the seventh inning, but eventually fell short to the Braves.
Sophomore Chandler Houselog (Dubuque, IA/Dubuque Hempstead) and Tegeler tallied a pair of hits each in the game two loss.
The Warriors are back in action March 20 at Kansas City Community College in Kansas City, KS. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.
NEW YEAR - WHAT TO KNOW
Fans can keep up the Indian Hills Softball squad all year long through a number of ways:
- X (formerly Twitter): @IHCCAthletics | @WarriorSoftball
- Facebook: Indian Hills Athletics | Indian Hills Softball
- Instagram: @IHCCAthletics | @IHCC_Softball
- Youtube: Indian Hills Athletics
- Website: www.indianhillsathletics.com
- Catch up with the history of Indian Hills Softball: Indian Hills Softball Record Book
- Preview the Warriors' 2026 campaign with the official media guide: Indian Hills Softball Media Guide
- Keep up with former Indian Hills Softball standouts and where they are now | Next Level Warriors - Indian Hills Softball
- All home games are played at R.L. Hellyer Field on the Indian Hills - Ottumwa campus
HOW TO WATCH
As always, GoHillsTV provides free live broadcasts of all Indian Hills Softball home and postseason games. Fans can tune in a number of ways all season long:
- GoHillsTV App: Download the Iowa Media Network app on your android or ios device and navigate to the GoHillsTV section
- Website: https://www.iowamedianetwork.com/gohillstv to catch all live and archived information
- Roku Streaming Device: Have a Roku TV or streaming stick? Download the GoHillsTV app to start streaming today!
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