The Indianola softball team used a grand slam to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in a Little Hawkeye Conference matchup Thursday evening, winning 5-3 as heard live on KNIA and KRLS.

The Dutch struck first on a sacrifice fly by Katie Scheckel to lead 1-0, and that lead would hold until the bottom of the third inning when the Indians used two walks and a single to load the bases, and Sam Gripp hit a no-doubter to right-center field to clear the bases and put Indianola in front 4-1. Gripp drove in another run in the fifth to lead 5-1, and the Dutch stranded six runners going into the seventh inning.

Madi Keske and Elizabeth Thomas singled to start the seventh for the Dutch leading to two runs driven in by Katie Scheckel with two outs to cut the lead to 5-3, but Indianola closed out the game for the victory.

Indians head coach Stacy Evans tells KNIA News it was a hard fought victory over a great Pella team that tests them each and every time they match up, and the Indians were able to drive in their baserunners to earn the win.

Scheckel went 1-4 driving in all three runs for the Dutch, while Sam Gripp went 2-3 driving all five for the Indians. Ashley Schultz got the win in the circle for Indianola, while Emma Eekhoff took the tough luck loss for Pella.

Pella falls to 8-7 and 6-5 in conference, and will next play Monday at Dallas Center-Grimes. Indianola improves to 9-5 and 6-3, and will compete in a tournament tomorrow in Cedar Rapids.

The Indianola and Pella baseball teams match up tonight in Indianola. The game will be broadcast live on 94.3 KNIA and 92.1 KRLS, with Andrew Schneider on the call. Pregame coverage begins at approximately 6:40pm.