Ottumwa, IA – Cassandra Benberg (Green Bay, WI/Pulaski) provided the dramatics at R.L. Hellyer Field on Saturday as the sophomore delivered a walk-off base hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to knock off No. 24 ranked Iowa Western Community College 7-6. The Warriors split Saturday's Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) twinbill with the Reivers after dropping game one, 17-6.
The Warriors and Reivers battled in the nightcap on Saturday with a back-and-forth matchup to push the finale to extra innings. All square at 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth, the Warriors loaded the bases to set the stage for Benberg. The sophomore drove an 0-2 pitch to deep right field for the game-winning RBI. Indian Hills moves to 14-18 overall on the year, and 1-1 in league play, while the Reivers suffer just their fourth loss in 32 ballgames this year.
WALK US OFF CASSIE ��
— Indian Hills Softball (@WarriorSoftball) March 28, 2026
Cassie Benberg with the walk-off winner to take down Iowa Western in nine innings!#WarriorNation pic.twitter.com/avSriBZBlo
The win is the second victory over a nationally ranked opponent this year for the Warriors. The victory also snapped a three-game losing streak to Iowa Western.
Saturday's affair saw an offensive outburst from both sides as the Warriors tallied 24 hits compared to 27 knocks for the Reivers. Benberg, freshman Madisyn Buysse (Geneseo, IL/Geneseo), and sophomore Chandler Houselog (Dubuque, IA/Dubuque Hempstead) all tallied three hit games in game two while freshmen Bailey Tegeler (Dixon, IL/Dixon) and Gabby Lane (East Peoria, IL/East Peoria) tallied two hits apiece in the opener.
The Warriors held an early lead in the opener as a three-run home run from Tegeler in the home half of the second gave Indian Hills a 4-2 advantage. Iowa Western eventually broke things open with six runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, and six more in the seventh to run away for the win.
Along with Tegeler's three RBI, Buysse and freshman Kendall Davros (Littleton, CO/Chatfield) posted run-scoring doubles in the loss.
Indian Hills jumped out to a quick lead in game two as Kate Hickenbottom (Davenport, IA/Davenport Assumption) provided a solo home run in the second while Benberg tacked on a two-run double in the third.
Indian Hills pushed the lead to 5-1 in the fourth, but the Reivers responded with four runs in the sixth and took their first lead of the contest with a run in the seventh. Benberg kept the Warriors' upset bid alive with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to force extras.
Sophomore pitcher Maggie Grant (Onaway, MI/Inland Lakes), who took over in the circle in the seventh, kept the Reivers at bay with scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth to set Benberg up for the heroics in the ninth.
Benberg finished the game 3-5 at the plate with four RBI. Over her last four contests, Benberg is batting .563 with five extra base hits and 16 RBI.
Grant secured the win with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with just two hits allowed.
Indian Hills returns to action Sunday afternoon at R.L. Hellyer Field with an ICCAC doubleheader against Southwestern Community College. First pitch is set for 12:00 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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