Kate Kralik earned 18 out of 21 outs via the strikeout in a stellar performance in the pitching circle Thursday evening, as the Indians softball team shut out Pella 6-0. The Indians struck first with a Macie Mays RBI single in the first, and the Indians took advantage of some Pella miscues in the field in the second to push across another run for an early 2-0 advantage. The game stalemated through the middle innings, before the Indians blew the game open with a three-run fifth. Kralik walked, followed up by singles from Alley May and Brynn Ortlund, and another RBI single from Mays for a 5-0 advantage. Indians head coach Stacy Evans tells KNIA Sports the chemistry between Kralik and sophomore catcher Mara Bishop has been fun to watch.

“Kate did a phenomenal job, and Mara behind the dish did a great job as well. That girl has been working really hard. Kate has a lot of spin on her ball and her movement is fantastic. She has a lot that goes in the dirt and a lot that goes outside and up, and Mara in return has to be ready for all of that. You could tell tonight that Kate was mixing a lot of pitches, and she had that opportunity because she got to a lot of 0-2 counts right out of the bat. That allowed her to have a lot of freedom in her pitches and allowed her to get into her comfort zone. She was fantastic tonight.”

Pella got back-to-back singles in the sixth to put pressure on the Indians, but couldn’t convert. Courtney Thompson, Brynnlin Kroymann, Kylie Tauke, and Ella Corbin each got a hit for the Lady Dutch, while freshman Taylor Tousey took the tough luck loss in the circle. The Indians are now 4-0 to start the season and will next play on Monday at Pella Christian, while the Lady Dutch are now 0-4 and travel to Norwalk on Monday.