By BURDELL HENSLEY
PELLA — Oskaloosa’s Emily Street was in top form Monday night as she set down 21 straight Lady Dutch batters in a perfect game, 5-0 Little Hawkeye Conference win. Not only was Street sharp in the circle, but her defense was outstanding behind her.
“My defense was just amazing,” Street said. “Ashley (Jimenez) was a vacuum at third and Amanda (Christenson) had a great catch in right. I was able to come inside on them and move the ball around.”
The Indian offense got a jump start in the top of the first inning. With two out, Megan Gott turned on a ball and yanked it into the trees behind the left field barrier for a quick 1-0 Oskaloosa lead. Sarah Hynick followed with a shot off the fence in left for a double, but was stranded as a ground ball out ended the inning.
That early power surge gave the Tribe some much needed confidence at the plate and, according to Indian coach Jay Harms, that is a good sign.
“Hitting is contagious,” Harms said. “That home run by Megan and a double by Sarah really gave us a lift. We have been hitting the ball better recently and tonight we hit the ball hard up and down the lineup. Their pitcher really handcuffed us at home in a 6-0 loss, so it was nice to turn the tables. Our defense really picked us up as well. Ashley had a superb game at third and our outfield play was very good. It was just a good way to start the second half of the conference season.”
Oskaloosa added another run in the second as Samantha Allgood legged out an infield hit and moved up on a sacrifice by Renee Lenox. A base hit by Jacque Terrell sent Allgood to third and when a third strike was dropped, Allgood alertly scampered home.
Terrell led off the top of the fourth with a ringing double into the gap in left-center. That shot chased Pella starter Mandy DeMeulenaere and brought Whitney Williams to the circle. Terrell moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Christenson drew a base on balls, Jimenez beat out a bunt for a hit and Gott walked to fill the sacks. Hynick brought Christenson home with a sacrifice fly, but the inning ended with a tap back to the pitcher.
The Indians had to wait a while for their final run. Jayce Carter coaxed a base on balls to open the top of the sixth. Christenson followed with another walk and Jimenez sacrificed the runners over. Then the lights went out. After a considerable delay, Gott walked and Hynick drove a single through the infield to score Carter.
Street took the mound in the bottom of the seventh needing to get the top three Lady Dutch hitters for the perfecto. She got the first one with a strikeout and then Lisa Houser lifted a fly ball to left-center. Carter made a running, juggling catch to bring a sigh of relief from the Indian following. A ground ball to Jimenez put the final touches on the masterpiece.
“I give Oskaloosa all the credit,” Pella coach Krista DeMeulenaere said. “They game out with fire in their belly and they wanted to beat us. They made some great plays and that third baseman had the game of her life. They got the bats going against Mandy early. They learned from the first game and had a much different approach this time.”
The Indians are 11-10 overall and 4-5 in conference play. They traveled to Albia Tuesday night and host South Tama Wednesday. The Lady Dutch drop to 6-9 and 4-5 in the Little Hawkeye. They played Chariton Tuesday and then host South Tama on Thursday.
Oskaloosa 5, Pella 0
Osky 110 20 1 — 5 8 0
Pella 000 000 0 — 0 0 1
Oskaloosa battery — Emily Street (W, 7 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 K) and Dana Van Renterghem
2B — Sarah Hynick, Jacque Terrell, Ashley Jimenez. HR — Megan Gott.
Hits — Jimenez 2-for-3, Gott 2-for-2, Hynick 1-for-2, Samantha Allgood 1-for-4, Terrell 2-for-3. Runs — Amanda Christenson, Gott, Allgood, Terrell, Jayce Carter. RBI — Hynick 2, Gott.
Pella battery — Mandy DeMeulenaere (L, 3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 1 K), Whitney Williams (4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 6 BB, 1 K) and Whitney Pavlat.
