KALONA

The Hillcrest Classic, a home tourney for the Ravens, took place this past weekend and in the first round it was a battle of the birds, the Ravens versus the Eagles. 

In a high scoring fifth inning from both teams, Hillcrest (7-6) earned a walk-off 6-5 victory over the Keota Eagles (1-11). 

The Ravens more than welcome this fourth consecutive win after they were previously on a five-game losing streak. Their seven wins on the season already matches their total wins from last year.  

Hillcrest took the lead when they scored one run in the first after an RBI single from Kylee Statler. 

Quickly responding, Keota tied it up in the top of the second until the Ravens broke the tie with another run in the fourth, brought in by Erin Bontrager with a base hit. 

After two scoreless innings, the Eagles found a rhythm on offense, scoring four runs in the fifth to take their first lead of the game. 

Not backing down, the Ravens also scored four in the fifth to nab a walk-off win. Bringing in the winning runs with a 2 RBI double was sophomore Adrianne Blauvelt.

With Statler, Bontrager, Blauvelt, Claire Withrow, Malia Yoder, Delaney Shaw, Stavia Miller all contributing a hit the Ravens had seven hits as a team. 

Getting the win on the mound was junior Malia Yoder, ending the game with nine strikeouts while giving up three hits. 

In the fourth inning Yoder collected her 100th strikeout of the season, making it the second straight year she has reached this milestone, reaching the century mark in 20 games last year and this year reaching it in 13 games.  

Later that day in the championship game, Hillcrest (7-7) was defeated, 6-3, by the English Valleys Bears (12-2). 

The Ravens took an early lead by finding the home plate twice in the first, but the Bears snatched the lead by scoring three in the second. They added to their lead by scoring once in the third and two more times in the fourth. 

Hillcrest was only able to score one more run in the sixth before the game ended. 

Showing she can hit just as well as she can pitch, Yoder went three for three while up to bat with her hits being a single, a double, and a home run. She finished the game with a team high two RBIs. 

Yoder also pitched in all six innings, striking out nine and giving up five hits. Through 14 games Yoder leads the Ravens in hits (23) and strikeouts (112).  

Hillcrest 10, Columbus 7

In a home game, the Ravens (4-6) snapped a five-game losing streak when they defeated the Columbus Wildcats (3-13) on June 11. 

Hillcrest took a 5-2 lead after the first inning. Columbus scored three to knot up the game before the Ravens scored three in the fourth to break the tie. Both teams scored twice in the sixth to arrive at the final score. 

Leading the team in hits with three was junior Malia Yoder. Fellow junior Lydia Beachy led the team in RBIs with three. 

Yoder also went the distance on the mound, recording 12 strikeouts and giving up eight hits. 

Hillcrest 13, New London 4

In another home game, Hillcrest (5-6) earned back-to-back wins when they defeated the New London Tigers (1-8) on June 12. 

Through four Hillcrest held a 8-3 lead. The fifth was the last inning where either team scored a run with the Tigers scoring once and the Ravens adding to their lead by finding the home plate five more times.

Going three for three at bat, junior Delaney Shaw led the team in hits with two being singles and one being a home run, her second of the season. She also led the team in RBIs with five. 

Also connecting on a home run in the win was Malia Yoder, her first of the season. Going two for four at bat, Yoder ended the game with four RBIs. 

Yoder also captured the win on the mound, pitching in all seven innings. She retired six batters, gave up four hits, and allowed six walks. 

Hillcrest 10, W-MU 7

Taking place at the Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, the Ravens (6-6) earned the season sweep over the Winfield-Mt Union Wolves (4-9) on June 13. 

Hillcrest took an early lead by scoring four in the first. The Wolves eventually responded by scoring three in the third. 

Both teams scored three more times each in the fifth before the Ravens outscored the Wolves, 3-1, in the sixth to firmly separate themselves from their conference foe to earn the victory.   

This was the second straight game where both Malia Yoder and Delaney Shaw hit the ball out of the park. 

Yoder went two for four at bat, hitting a single and a home run. She also had three RBIs. Shaw went three for four at bat, hitting a single, a double, and a home run. She also led the team with four RBIs. 

Pitching in seven innings, Yoder earned the win on the mound. She struck out 13 batters, giving up two hits, and allowing three walks. 

Van Buren 4, Hillcrest 3

In a close game that came down to the final inning, the Ravens were defeated on the road by the Van Buren County Warriors on June 17. 

Hillcrest scored a single run in the first to take the lead and this score remained consistent until the Warriors finally answered in the forth, scoring twice to take the lead. 

The Ravens responded quickly, scoring once in the next inning to tie the game, but Van Buren’s one run in the sixth gave them back the lead. Hillcrest tied the game once again with a run in the top of the seventh, but in the bottom of the inning the Warriors scored their own run to earn a walk-off victory. 

Up next for Hillcrest (7-8) is a home conference game against the Pekin Panthers (1-15) on June 20.