BASEBALL INDIANS BEGIN SEASON WITH 5-1 LOSS AT NORTH FAYETTE; SHOOKY FINK TOURNEY POSTPONED

The 2000 Waukon Indian baseball season got off to a rather unsuccessful start this past week. With several members of this year's varsity-inexperienced club unable to compete in the Tribe's first game for various reasons, the Indians were handed a 5-1 loss by North Fayette at West Union Tuesday, May 23. The Indians were also scheduled to compete in Kee High's Shooky Fink Tournament in Lansing and New Albin this past Saturday, May 27, but the rainy weather forced postponement of the annual event until this Saturday, June 3.
A four-run bottom of the third inning proved to be the undoing of the baseball Tribe at North Fayette. The host Hawks were boosted by a three-run blast over the outfield fence by catcher Justin Heins with two out in that third frame.
The Indians had struck first in the ballgame, pushing one run over the plate in the top of that third frame. A lead-off walk by junior second baseman Bill Van Gorp got things started for the Tribe. After a pop-out to the pitcher for the first Indian out, freshman pinch-hitter Danny Eickelberg sacrificed Van Gorp to second, from where he was driven home by a double from junior pitcher Heath Hesse for a 1-0 Indian advantage.
The two teams measured each other up in the first two frames, both teams going down in order. Hesse retired four of the first six North Fayette batters on strikes, including mowing down the side in the second frame, and also picked off another at first to end the opening frame after the Hawk had reached on a two-out error.
After the Tribe drew first blood on the scoreboard in the top of the third, North Fayette's lead-off batter drew a walk to start the bottom of the inning. A one-out single moved that runner to third, from where he knotted the score at a run apiece on a ground out to second base. A two-out walk added another man on the bases for Heins, who put the Hawks up for good with his three-run shot that made for a 4-1 North Fayette advantage.
The Indians put runners on base in each of the final three of the remaining four innings, presenting scoring threats in both the fifth and seventh frames. Senior shortstop Jason Manning reached on an error to lead off the fifth frame, and was then singled to third by Van Gorp, but was left stranded there after three consecutive Indian outs.
Again in the seventh, the Indians mounted what looked to be a late comeback effort. Back-to-back walks drawn by Manning and Van Gorp to lead off the final frame led to a bases-loaded opportunity after freshman center fielder Kenny Hansmeier popped a one-out single. An ensuing strikeout and ground ball back to the pitcher ended that uprising and the ballgame, however, with the Indians on the short end of the 5-1 final.
Prior to that finish, Indian sophomore Seth Kelly came on in relief of Hesse in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a lead-off fly ball for the first out, Kelly loaded the bases with Hawks on a hit batsman and back-to-back walks. Another fly ball to left field sacrificed one of those baserunners home to add the fifth North Fayette run on the board before the inning was brought to a close.
After the four-run third inning by North Fayette, Hesse allowed just two more Hawk singles in pitching five total innings for the loss. The Indian junior allowed four total hits, walked three batters, hit one and struck out six. In relief, Kelly walked three batters and hit another, but gave up no hits in his one inning on the mound.
North Fayette's Andy TeKippe went the distance for the Hawks to secure the pitching win. TeKippe gave up three Indian hits, walked four batters and struck out eight.

The Indians will now play at Jackson Junction against Turkey Valley Tuesday, May 30 before opening their home schedule Wednesday, May 31 against Central Elkader with a varsity/varsity reserve date that is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
The Tribe will then travel to Waverly-Shell Rock Friday, June 2 to open Northeast Iowa Conference play with a varsity doubleheader before playing in the postponed Shooky Fink Tournament Saturday, June 3. The Indians will then play in three more varsity doubleheaders next week, at Cascade Monday, June 5 and then at home against Kee High Wednesday, June 7 and at home against Charles City Friday, June 9.