July 4, 2018 By Chris Varney
Happy Fourth of July!
The Grinnell Tiger baseball team celebrated Independence Day yesterday by doing something that nobody has done this year — beat Indianola.
Grinnell split a doubleheader at the Indians yesterday, losing the first game 4-3 but winning 1-0 in Game Two. Indianola was not unbeaten coming into the game but their only loss had been a forfeited game to Pella because they violated that blasted pitch count rule. So the Indians were essentially undefeated and it was an 8th grader who led Grinnell.
Brady Steward was given the task to give the Tiger pitchers some rest and he responded by going 5 1/3 innings, allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts. He would get a no decision for his work because he left with the game scoreless. But it will be a game that he will remember for a lifetime. Alex Farmer came in and shut down the Indians the rest of the 6th inning and the Tigers got a break in the top of the 7th.
Ethan Mitchell would reach base on an error and it apparently rattled Indianola pitcher Joey Byland. He gave up back to back walks to Jayden Gibson and Jake Hull. With Blake Hollibaugh at the plate, Hyland would commit a balk to score Mitchell and Grinnell had a 1-0 lead. Farmer would retire the Indians in order in the bottom of the 7th with two strikeouts to finish off the Indians.
With the win, the Tigers go to 21-9 on the season. Last week, it did not look good for this baseball team after back to back losses on the road to Knoxville and Norwalk. Those defeats will probably drop Grinnell to a three seed and prevent them from playing at home. But Grinnell has rebounded — they swept Pella in a DH last Friday, crushed Perry on Monday and now this against Indianola.
Grinnell will never score a lot of runs. The Tigers need good — if not great — pitching. The Tigers need to play spotless defense. And they need to have confidence. A win over Indianola should provide that.
Grinnell will host South Tama on Thursday night for their final home game, visit Clear Creek Amana next Monday and conclude the regular season visiting Ballard on Tuesday. The Tigers open district action next Friday.
The post Things turning around for Tiger Baseball appeared first on MyIowaInfo.com.