The Indianola baseball team battled the J-Hawks of Cedar Rapids Jefferson in addition to the harsh weather Friday evening, winning 8-4 in a game heard live on 94.3 KNIA. The Indians fell behind in a soaking wet first couple innings 4-1 going into the bottom of the 2nd, but then exploded for a four-run bottom of the inning to take a lead they wouldn’t give back off of RBI hits from Luke Rockhold and Brady Blake.

Bennett Brueck came on in relief in the 2nd inning to keep the Indians in the contest, picking up the win going 3 ⅔ innings giving up only two hits, while Brady Blake pitched two scoreless innings of relief and Kaden Ritchie came on for the save. Indianola added insurance runs in the fourth with an RBI from Blake, and two more in the sixth with Brueck and Jack Strong driving in the runs. Head coach Jon Fitzpatrick tells KNIA Sports the way his team stayed in the game despite the pouring rain and trailing early.

“I just thought we kept ourselves composed. Down 4-1, we didn’t get too high, we didn’t get too low, we just kept at that neutral thinking today. I was proud of them for just that, just answering back and doing enough along the way. We’ll get a couple practices in and be able to compete on Monday.”

Brueck got the win on the mound, while Luke Rockhold went 3-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, and Blake went 2-3 with 3 RBI. Indianola advances to the substate semifinal round on Monday, where they host Waukee Northwest.

The Indianola softball team begins their postseason journey tonight, taking on the Glenwood Rams in the regional semifinal. The game will be broadcast live on 94.3 KNIA, with Andrew Swadner on the play-by-play. Pregame coverage begins at 6:45pm.