Ottumwa -- When the Indian Hills Community College softball team heads south for their season-opening trip later this month they’ll do so as a nationally-ranked team. The Warriors are ranked 19th in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s pre-season poll.
Indian Hills is coming off a season in which they were 33-24 and won the Region 11 and District K championships and qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament.
It’s the first time that Indian Hills has been ranked in the preseason in Jim Overturf’s four years as head coach at IHCC. He calls it “an honor” to be rated, saying, “It just shows how hard our teams have worked the last three years to get the program to this point.”
Overturf was quick to add, “The ranking puts a bulls-eye on our back for the teams we’ll play, especially early in the season, and we’ll have to work even harder. It’s a lot more important where we finish.”
The Warriors return nine players from last year’s national tourney team. They open the spring schedule with five games in the Tiger Fest in Booneville, Mississippi Feb. 25-26.
They’ll play a top-10 team there in Copiah-Lincoln CC and will face four other teams that are ranked in the preseason polls in Division I and II. Indian Hills also will likely play a handful of other rated teams in regular-season tournaments.
The softball team is one of two IHCC teams to receive a preseason national ranking. The Warrior golf team is ranked No. 1.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Softball Clinics in February
Ottumwa -- Indian Hills Community College softball coach Jim Overturf has announced the dates for two youth softball clinics that will be held at IHCC in February.
A softball pitching clinic will be held on Saturday, February 5, at the Tom Arnold Net Center on the IHCC Ottumwa campus for ages 8 through 18. The clinic will be divided into two groups: one for those ages 8-12 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and a second session for those ages 13-18 from 1 to 3 p.m.
The guest instructors will be Molly Cope, a former Indian Hills pitcher who went on to pitch at Morehead State (KY), and her sister, Penny Cope Freeman, a former pitcher at both Alabama and Nebraska. The sisters were both all-state pitchers at Carlisle High School and Academic All-Americans in college.
All participants should bring a glove and tennis shoes and pitchers must have a catcher for the drills.
Coach Overturf, assistants Hilarie Droz and Jennifer Sabourin and Indian Hills players will assist with the camp. The cost to attend is $40. Registration begins 30 minutes prior to the start of each session.
The Indian Hills’ coaches and members of the Warrior softball squad will direct a softball skills clinic on Saturday, February 12, at the Net Center.
Again, there will be two sessions: one for those in grades 4 through 7 from 9 a.m. to noon, and one for grades 8 through 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. The morning session will emphasize skill development in hitting, throwing, fielding, base running and sliding. The afternoon session will emphasize hitting, defensive breakdowns by position, throwing, base running, sliding and the psychology of hitting.
The cost to attend the skills clinic is $30. Clinic participants need to bring workout clothes, tennis shoes, a bat and glove.
Registration forms for the pitching and skills clinics can be found on the IHCC website at www.indianhills.edu/athletics/softball.
A softball pitching clinic will be held on Saturday, February 5, at the Tom Arnold Net Center on the IHCC Ottumwa campus for ages 8 through 18. The clinic will be divided into two groups: one for those ages 8-12 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and a second session for those ages 13-18 from 1 to 3 p.m.
The guest instructors will be Molly Cope, a former Indian Hills pitcher who went on to pitch at Morehead State (KY), and her sister, Penny Cope Freeman, a former pitcher at both Alabama and Nebraska. The sisters were both all-state pitchers at Carlisle High School and Academic All-Americans in college.
All participants should bring a glove and tennis shoes and pitchers must have a catcher for the drills.
Coach Overturf, assistants Hilarie Droz and Jennifer Sabourin and Indian Hills players will assist with the camp. The cost to attend is $40. Registration begins 30 minutes prior to the start of each session.
The Indian Hills’ coaches and members of the Warrior softball squad will direct a softball skills clinic on Saturday, February 12, at the Net Center.
Again, there will be two sessions: one for those in grades 4 through 7 from 9 a.m. to noon, and one for grades 8 through 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. The morning session will emphasize skill development in hitting, throwing, fielding, base running and sliding. The afternoon session will emphasize hitting, defensive breakdowns by position, throwing, base running, sliding and the psychology of hitting.
The cost to attend the skills clinic is $30. Clinic participants need to bring workout clothes, tennis shoes, a bat and glove.
Registration forms for the pitching and skills clinics can be found on the IHCC website at www.indianhills.edu/athletics/softball.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Warriors Chosen to Play in Leadoff Classic in Florida
Ottumwa -- The Indian Hills Community College softball team has been chosen to play in the prestigious National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic in Florida next March. The field for the tourney will include 16 NJCAA Division I teams and eight NJCAA Division II teams, 14 of which participated in their respective division’s national tournament in 2010.
Indian Hills qualified for the NJCAA Division I national tourney last May, the 16th time the school played in the national tournament. Each participant in the Leadoff Classic was selected on the basis of its cumulative achievements over the past three seasons.
The tournament will be played March 4-6 in Panama City Beach, Florida. The classic will be divided into pool play and bracket play with each team guaranteed a minimum of five games.
Each team will begin the tournament by playing the other three schools in their pool. Once pool play is completed, the teams will be divided into three brackets of eight teams each. The six pool winners and top two second-place teams will form the Gold Championship Bracket, with the remaining four second-place teams and four at-large teams making up the Silver Championship Bracket. The final eight teams will be assigned to the Bronze Championship Bracket.
The Warriors, who were 33-24 and Region 11 and District K champions last year, will make the classic a part of their season-opening spring trip in 2011.
Indian Hills qualified for the NJCAA Division I national tourney last May, the 16th time the school played in the national tournament. Each participant in the Leadoff Classic was selected on the basis of its cumulative achievements over the past three seasons.
The tournament will be played March 4-6 in Panama City Beach, Florida. The classic will be divided into pool play and bracket play with each team guaranteed a minimum of five games.
Each team will begin the tournament by playing the other three schools in their pool. Once pool play is completed, the teams will be divided into three brackets of eight teams each. The six pool winners and top two second-place teams will form the Gold Championship Bracket, with the remaining four second-place teams and four at-large teams making up the Silver Championship Bracket. The final eight teams will be assigned to the Bronze Championship Bracket.
The Warriors, who were 33-24 and Region 11 and District K champions last year, will make the classic a part of their season-opening spring trip in 2011.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Two Future Warriors on All-Tourney Team
Two members of IHCC Coach Jim Overturf's incoming recruiting class were named to the All-Tournament team at the state softball tournament in Fort Dodge after leading their respective teams to final-four appearances.
Lindsey Evans from Ottumwa High School was a member of the 11-player Class 4A All-Tournament team after batting .400 in the Bulldogs' three games at state. Evans, a catcher, had a pair of doubles for the Bulldogs, who finished fourth in Class 4A.
Keokuk pitcher Hannah Washburn was named to the Class 3-A All-Tournament team. Washburn pitched Keokuk to wins in their first two state tourney games before losing to Carlisle in the 3-A title game. She threw a two-hit shutout in the quarterfinal game aganst Sioux City Bishop Heelan and then defeated Clear Creek-Amana in the semifinals. Washburn had 20 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched in the tourney.
Washburn was also named to the 3-A All-Tournament team as a junior.
Lindsey Evans from Ottumwa High School was a member of the 11-player Class 4A All-Tournament team after batting .400 in the Bulldogs' three games at state. Evans, a catcher, had a pair of doubles for the Bulldogs, who finished fourth in Class 4A.
Keokuk pitcher Hannah Washburn was named to the Class 3-A All-Tournament team. Washburn pitched Keokuk to wins in their first two state tourney games before losing to Carlisle in the 3-A title game. She threw a two-hit shutout in the quarterfinal game aganst Sioux City Bishop Heelan and then defeated Clear Creek-Amana in the semifinals. Washburn had 20 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched in the tourney.
Washburn was also named to the 3-A All-Tournament team as a junior.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Warriors Claim All-Region Honors
Ottumwa -- Indian Hills Community College has three players on the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference All-Region softball team. And IHCC coach Jim Overturf was named the Region XI Coach of the Year.
Sophomore first baseman Lizzy Tucker was the lone Indian Hills player named to the All-Region first team. Tucker led the Warriors in hits, RBIs, total bases, walks and on-base percentage while tying for the team lead in doubles, homers and sacrifice bunts.
Selected for the All-Region second team were outfielders Kris Penick, a sophomore, and freshman Tory Beaver. Penick led IHCC in hitting with a .336 batting average and in stolen bases with nine. Beaver ended the season with a .306 average, 27 runs scored and 29 RBIs.
It was the second straight All-Region selection for Penick who was also named to the second team last year.
Overturf led the Warriors to their first national tournament appearance in five years in his third season at IHCC. Indian Hills entered the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the region tournament and promptly won all three games they played in the tourney to seize the title.
The Warriors then won both games from Crowder College, the Missouri champ, in the district tournament to qualify for nationals. Indian Hills ended the year with a 33-24 record. Their two losses in the national tourney were against Yavapai College and Wallace State CC, teams that finished third and second in the nation, respectively.
Overturf picked up his 600th win as a head softball coach during the 2010 season and has 617 wins in a coaching career that also includes stints at William Penn and Kirkwood.
Sophomore first baseman Lizzy Tucker was the lone Indian Hills player named to the All-Region first team. Tucker led the Warriors in hits, RBIs, total bases, walks and on-base percentage while tying for the team lead in doubles, homers and sacrifice bunts.
Selected for the All-Region second team were outfielders Kris Penick, a sophomore, and freshman Tory Beaver. Penick led IHCC in hitting with a .336 batting average and in stolen bases with nine. Beaver ended the season with a .306 average, 27 runs scored and 29 RBIs.
It was the second straight All-Region selection for Penick who was also named to the second team last year.
Overturf led the Warriors to their first national tournament appearance in five years in his third season at IHCC. Indian Hills entered the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the region tournament and promptly won all three games they played in the tourney to seize the title.
The Warriors then won both games from Crowder College, the Missouri champ, in the district tournament to qualify for nationals. Indian Hills ended the year with a 33-24 record. Their two losses in the national tourney were against Yavapai College and Wallace State CC, teams that finished third and second in the nation, respectively.
Overturf picked up his 600th win as a head softball coach during the 2010 season and has 617 wins in a coaching career that also includes stints at William Penn and Kirkwood.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Warriors Drop Two at National Tourney
St. George, Utah -- The Indian Hills softball team got to see first-hand the strength of the teams that would go on to finish second and third at the NJCAA Division I National Championships. On the first day of the double-elimination tourney, the Warriors lost to Yavapai (AZ) College, 8-0, and Wallace State (AL) CC, 9-0.
Wallace State overcame a loss in their first game -- right before they defeated Indian Hills -- to make it all the way to the title game, where they were defeated by national champion Miami Dade. Yavapai wound up in third place.
Indian Hills' losses also came against the last two national champs before this year (Wallace State in 2008 and Yavapai last year) and against two pitchers who were both named to the all-tournament team in the '09 tourney.
Yavapai's Audrey Workman shut out IHCC for five innings in the opener and Wallace State's Kelsey Dennis blanked the Warriors for four innings.
It was a day in which the Warriors just couldn't generate any offense. They had only four hits in the first game, singles by Tory Beaver, Ryan Jehle, Kelly Ruepke and Lizzy Tucker.
Yavapai started the scoring with two-out solo homers by Danielle Muniz and Molly Brossart in the 1st inning. They added a run against IHCC starter Brandi Haight in the 4th. Sonja Holmes replaced Haight in the 5th and both runs scored in that inning were charged to Haight.
Holmes allowed three more runs in the 6th.
Indian Hills' only real scoring chance came in the 5th inning when, trailing 3-0, they loaded the bases with nobody out on two hits and an error. But Workman, the Yavapai pitcher, struck out three straight batters to get out of the jam. She had 11 Ks in five innings.
Wallace State pounded three home runs among their 11 hits in Indian Hills' second game in ending IHCC's season. Warriors' starter Kylee Coughlin gave up eight hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings and took the loss. Holmes allowed the other two runs.
The Warriors' lone hits were leadoff singles by Brittany Petersen in the 4th and Sarah Wilcox in the 5th.
Indian Hills finished the season with a 33-24 record. The national tournament appearance was their first in five years.
Wallace State overcame a loss in their first game -- right before they defeated Indian Hills -- to make it all the way to the title game, where they were defeated by national champion Miami Dade. Yavapai wound up in third place.
Indian Hills' losses also came against the last two national champs before this year (Wallace State in 2008 and Yavapai last year) and against two pitchers who were both named to the all-tournament team in the '09 tourney.
Yavapai's Audrey Workman shut out IHCC for five innings in the opener and Wallace State's Kelsey Dennis blanked the Warriors for four innings.
It was a day in which the Warriors just couldn't generate any offense. They had only four hits in the first game, singles by Tory Beaver, Ryan Jehle, Kelly Ruepke and Lizzy Tucker.
Yavapai started the scoring with two-out solo homers by Danielle Muniz and Molly Brossart in the 1st inning. They added a run against IHCC starter Brandi Haight in the 4th. Sonja Holmes replaced Haight in the 5th and both runs scored in that inning were charged to Haight.
Holmes allowed three more runs in the 6th.
Indian Hills' only real scoring chance came in the 5th inning when, trailing 3-0, they loaded the bases with nobody out on two hits and an error. But Workman, the Yavapai pitcher, struck out three straight batters to get out of the jam. She had 11 Ks in five innings.
Wallace State pounded three home runs among their 11 hits in Indian Hills' second game in ending IHCC's season. Warriors' starter Kylee Coughlin gave up eight hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings and took the loss. Holmes allowed the other two runs.
The Warriors' lone hits were leadoff singles by Brittany Petersen in the 4th and Sarah Wilcox in the 5th.
Indian Hills finished the season with a 33-24 record. The national tournament appearance was their first in five years.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Indian Hills Will Battle Yavapai in National Tourney
Ottumwa -- Indian Hills Community College will take on defending national champion Yavapai College from Arizona in the first round of the NJCAA Division I National Softball Championship this week in St. George, Utah.
The pairings for the 16-team event at the Canyons Softball Complex were released Sunday.
Indian Hills (33-22) was given the number-12 seed and will take on No. 5-seed Yavapai (50-14) at 11:00 a.m. Iowa time on Thursday. The winner will play the winner of the first-round game between Wallace State CC (AL) and John A. Logan CC (IL) at 8:00 p.m. The loser of the IHCC-Yavapai matchup will play the loser of that game at 5:30 p.m.
Wallace State won the national title in 2008 and lost to Yavapai in the championship game last year.
Seven of the 16 teams that qualified for last year’s national tourney return to the field this year. The top seed is Salt Lake CC (UT) which has a 59-3 record. They are also in Indian Hills’ bracket and will play Pitt CC (NC) in the opening round.
The other two teams in IHCC’s half of the draw are Seward County CC (KS) and Seminole State CC (OK).
The double-elimination national tournament runs through Saturday.
Indian Hills is making its first appearance in the national softball tourney since 2005.
All of the Indian Hills' games in the national tournament can be heard live on KMGO Radio (98.7 FM) and on the internet at www.kmgo.com.
The pairings for the 16-team event at the Canyons Softball Complex were released Sunday.
Indian Hills (33-22) was given the number-12 seed and will take on No. 5-seed Yavapai (50-14) at 11:00 a.m. Iowa time on Thursday. The winner will play the winner of the first-round game between Wallace State CC (AL) and John A. Logan CC (IL) at 8:00 p.m. The loser of the IHCC-Yavapai matchup will play the loser of that game at 5:30 p.m.
Wallace State won the national title in 2008 and lost to Yavapai in the championship game last year.
Seven of the 16 teams that qualified for last year’s national tourney return to the field this year. The top seed is Salt Lake CC (UT) which has a 59-3 record. They are also in Indian Hills’ bracket and will play Pitt CC (NC) in the opening round.
The other two teams in IHCC’s half of the draw are Seward County CC (KS) and Seminole State CC (OK).
The double-elimination national tournament runs through Saturday.
Indian Hills is making its first appearance in the national softball tourney since 2005.
All of the Indian Hills' games in the national tournament can be heard live on KMGO Radio (98.7 FM) and on the internet at www.kmgo.com.
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