Indianola Rallies Past Valley to Reach Iowa Baseball State Title Game
The Indianola baseball team is one step away from making history, punching its ticket to the state title game for the first time since 1969 after an 8-1 state semifinal win over Valley on July 23.
The conversation throughout the Indianola baseball team from the start of the 2026 season was not just to make the Class 4A state championship game, but to win the first state crown in program history. “Very realistic, I mean, when we set our goals in the beginning of the year, we’re winning the state championship, and we worked for it,” said Indianola junior George Blake. “That was on our mind every practice, every day, every day just on our mind.”
Indianola's stellar pitching was on full display, with Bryant Ritchie dominating on the hill by allowing just three hits and one run to go along with his seven strikeouts. The team, which holds the lowest team ERA in Class 4A, nearly got its 13th shutout of the season, but allowed one run late in the semifinal win.
Valley came into the game after a gusty 2-1 win over Waukee in the quarterfinals, delivered by star hurler Ryan Stedman. But the Tigers, who average nearly 10 hits a game, only had two through four innings against Indianola and only mustered three for the whole game.
Indianola, which has thrived by grabbing a few early runs to support the team's stellar pitching, plated three runs on four hits to begin the game. Blake's leadoff triple started the scoring, and Zach Benge and Daxton Heimbaugh both singled to drive in runs.
The team's ability to stay loose and have fun has been a key factor in their success. "We’re a loose group and a fun group, and we aren’t going to change who we are because we are in the state tournament," said Valley head coach Garrett Hawkins. "My takeaway is we are a great group led by 16 seniors and wouldn’t trade it for the world."
Indianola will meet 5-seed Pleasant Valley on Friday night in the state title game. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT. The stage is set for a thrilling matchup between two talented teams, and Indianola is one step closer to making history.
Source: Yahoo Sports
