It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Indianola, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Tracey Gray helped me in the biggest way today! She saved my day and I”
“Always best care provided excellent caregivers to us. I am really happy with the care”
“On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Always Best care for all”
“Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable”
“Tracey Gray helped me in the biggest way today! She saved my day and I am so thankful for her choice to help me! Thank you! #CertPrint #AlwaysBestCare”
“Always best care provided excellent caregivers to us. I am really happy with the care and support they provided to my father. Highly recommended to all!”
“On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Always Best care for all the support your caregivers have provided to my mother. She was very pleased with the care she received. I confidently recommend Always Best Care to all.”
“Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable Caregivers who helped me to take care of my loved one for several years. They are highly trained and managed well the daily routines and activities like bathing and dressing. Caregivers of always best care is dependable and passionate to their work. I am satisfied and so glad that I chose their service. Highly recommend whoever needs their caregiving service!”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Request More Information
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Indianola, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Indianola, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Indianola, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
September 12, the Indianola Noon Lions and a dozen "willing" members of the Indianola football team with Coach Kluver loaded approximately 10,500 donated shoes into a semi-trailer bound for Kentucky. In Kentucky, the Soles4Souls program sorts the shoes. Those deemed unwearable go to Texas where they are turned into energy. The rest will go to underprivileged areas where people are trained to set up small businesses and sell them.Luke Gordon and Aidan Curtis work together to load a semi Satur...
September 12, the Indianola Noon Lions and a dozen "willing" members of the Indianola football team with Coach Kluver loaded approximately 10,500 donated shoes into a semi-trailer bound for Kentucky. In Kentucky, the Soles4Souls program sorts the shoes. Those deemed unwearable go to Texas where they are turned into energy. The rest will go to underprivileged areas where people are trained to set up small businesses and sell them.
Luke Gordon and Aidan Curtis work together to load a semi Saturday with approximately 10,500 donated shoe. The truck will take the shoes to Kentucky where the Soles4Souls program them. Those deemed unwearable go to Texas where they are turned into energy. The rest will go to underprivileged areas where people are trained to set up small businesses and sell them.
Members of the Indianola Noon Lions and the Indianola football team with Coach Kluver loaded approximately 10,500 donated shoes into a semi-trailer bound for Kentucky on Saturday. In Kentucky, the Soles4Souls program sorts the shoes. Those deemed unwearable go to Texas where they are turned into energy. The rest will go to underprivileged areas where people are trained to set up small businesses and sell them.
Members of the Indianola Noon Lions and the Indianola football team with Coach Kluver loaded approximately 10,500 donated shoes into a semi-trailer bound for Kentucky on Saturday. In Kentucky, the Soles4Souls program sorts the shoes. Those deemed unwearable go to Texas where they are turned into energy. The rest will go to underprivileged areas where people are trained to set up small businesses and sell them.
Members of the Indianola Noon Lions and the Indianola football team with Coach Kluver loaded approximately 10,500 donated shoes into a semi-trailer bound for Kentucky on Saturday. In Kentucky, the Soles4Souls program sorts the shoes. Those deemed unwearable go to Texas where they are turned into energy. The rest will go to underprivileged areas where people are trained to set up small businesses and sell them.
After years of waiting, Indianola has finally done it.In the program's fifth-ever trip to the Iowa high school baseball state tournament and its first-ever state championship game, Indianola claimed the program's first state championship with a 9-6 win over Pleasant Valley on Friday, July 24.?"This means everything," said Indianola senior Zach Benge. "A lot of people sleep on the Indy boys, but we are here to play. We are here to compete." ?Now, the 2026 Indianola baseball team is cemented as the best...
After years of waiting, Indianola has finally done it.
In the program's fifth-ever trip to the Iowa high school baseball state tournament and its first-ever state championship game, Indianola claimed the program's first state championship with a 9-6 win over Pleasant Valley on Friday, July 24.?
"This means everything," said Indianola senior Zach Benge. "A lot of people sleep on the Indy boys, but we are here to play. We are here to compete." ?
Now, the 2026 Indianola baseball team is cemented as the best team in school history, surpassing the historic 1969 team. But it took some time, unity, and understanding about what the next steps were to reach their goal. ?
The Indianola Indians hoist the championship trophy after defeating the Pleasant Valley Spartans 9-6 July 24, 2026 in the Class 4A Iowa state baseball final at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)
"I had a conversation with (former MLB star and Indianola native) Casey Blake about three years ago," said Indianola coach Nathan Carlin. "I was the head coach at Bondurant-Ferrer at the time and (Casey) just said, 'I want you to be our next head coach,' and we just kind of bought into each other. His kids, his nephews, bought into me. The entire team, the entire community bought into what we were trying to do."
?After last season's substate final loss to Iowa City West, there was immediate conversation matched with hunger to get better, to learn from that loss.?
"We took our lumps three years ago with a young team; last year we put it together. We had a really nice team, but we learned there was another level that to be a champion," Carlin said. "That just motivated us for the next 365 days. We had a picture of City High holding the 4A state trophy in my classroom and in our dugout for the last year, and every day the kids walked by and looked at it and just knew they had to put in a little more."?
More: Iowa high school state baseball tournament 2026: Scores, brackets
After Thursday night's state semifinal win over Valley, Carlin said he wanted to keep things as normal as possible in preparation for the state title game.
?"We're going to eat a good dinner, let them sleep a little bit, have a good breakfast, and then go lift," Carlin said. "Some of our staff will stay, get a good scouting report done, and then we'll go ahead and go through the same routine that we've done for every game."?
But what Carlin forgot to mention was his team would get a chance to take a tour of Carver-Hawkeye Arena and shoot some hoops – that's how they finished their preparation before arriving at Veterans Memorial Stadium.?
And it turned out the pregame shootaround worked well and Indianola rushed out to a 5-0 lead after the first two innings.
But slowly Pleasant Valley began to make noise. Dawson Bales blasted a solo home run in the top of the third, and it ignited the Spartans. Mason McCaw singled to bring in Jackson O'Melia, and it was suddenly 5-2.?
But Indianola answered right back. Brody Merema doubled to bring in two runs in the bottom of the third, and a wild pitch scored Dallas Harlan. Things looked stable again for the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
More: VOTE: Most outstanding player at 2026 Iowa state baseball tournament
But in the top of the sixth, the Spartans put pressure on Indianola pitcher Jackson Foust, ending his outing after 5 ? innings and 79 pitches.? Gavin Barber singled to bring in a run, then on a deep hit to right field, Bales came through again with a bases-clearing, three-RBI double. Pleasant Valley has all the momentum and was only down two runs, 8-6.?
Indianola used three pitchers in the sixth, from Foust to Joey Crabb, who went just six pitches, and then finally Jacob Orey, who got Indianola out of the sixth-inning jam. Pleasant Valley left two on after Orey struck out Evan Barr, but with an inning left, the game was far from over.
?"We were trying to stay after it, win every pitch," said Pleasant Valley coach Derek Stecklein. "At that point, don't worry about what happened earlier in the game, and focus on where we were and focus on every pitch."
Indianola added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Benge added to his three-RBI day, sending out a home run to the left field patio seats.
"I was so excited, got the barrel extended, and I didn't even feel it off the bat," Benge said.?
More: Des Moines Register seeks fall high school sports intern
That final run was all Indianola needed to secure its first state title. While the 27 players on the roster are thrilled with their accomplishment, they're even more excited to finally bring a state title back to the nearly 17,000 people who reside just south of Des Moines.
"Indianola is a type of town where you get sucked in, and you don't want to leave because it's such a tight-knit community that has each other's backs and is so supportive of you, and a baseball town," Carlin said.
INDIANOLA, Iowa —Pilots from around the world are set to take to the skies in central Iowa as the National Balloon Classic kicks off Friday afternoon in Indianola.The event, held at Memorial Balloon Field, is one of the largest and oldest balloon competitions in the Midwest, featuring more than 100 hot air balloons over nine days. CEO Staci Scheurenbrand said the event draws significant crowds."We host 100,000 people throughout the nine days," Scheurenbrand said.Nearly 100 pilots p...
INDIANOLA, Iowa —
Pilots from around the world are set to take to the skies in central Iowa as the National Balloon Classic kicks off Friday afternoon in Indianola.
The event, held at Memorial Balloon Field, is one of the largest and oldest balloon competitions in the Midwest, featuring more than 100 hot air balloons over nine days. CEO Staci Scheurenbrand said the event draws significant crowds.
"We host 100,000 people throughout the nine days," Scheurenbrand said.
Nearly 100 pilots participate in the event, lifting off when weather conditions are ideal. Scheurenbrand explained that even if winds are too strong for flying, there is still plenty to enjoy on the ground.
"A lot of people don't realize that hot air ballooning is a very competitive sport. And those morning flights, they have their game faces on, and it is all business. And then at night, that's when the live bands come out on the true big stage. That's when all of the drone shows, the nightclubs, everything happens in the evenings," Scheurenbrand said.
Across town, the National Balloon Museum is preparing to reopen Friday morning after a fire in 2024 caused serious damage. Operations Manager Kendra Minks said the museum, located at 1601 N Jefferson Way in Indianola, highlights the history of ballooning in Iowa and around the world.
"The fire, as devastating as it was, forced us to look through everything, open all the boxes, open all the containers that were in the basement," Minks said.
"It's been just amazing to see a lot of the things that have been donated over the years that we can now put out on display," Minks said.
Since the museum is not yet fully finished, visitors are only being asked for a donation if they choose to visit.
The last time Indianola played in an Iowa high school baseball state semifinal was July 31, 1969.The population of the town was nearly 8,000; there was just one class of high school baseball in Iowa – Elvis Presley returned to perform in Las Vegas after eight years away, to the day – and the National Balloon Classic event had not yet made its way to Indianola.?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 wi...
The last time Indianola played in an Iowa high school baseball state semifinal was July 31, 1969.
The population of the town was nearly 8,000; there was just one class of high school baseball in Iowa – Elvis Presley returned to perform in Las Vegas after eight years away, to the day – and the National Balloon Classic event had not yet made its way to Indianola.?
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.
Indianola celebrates after defeating the Valley Tigers 8-1 July 23, 2026 during a Class 4A Iowa state baseball semifinal at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)
"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."?
And after an 8-1 state semifinal win over Valley (24-16) on July 23, with the final out recorded just before 11 p.m, Indianola punched its ticket to the state title game for the first time.?
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.?
More: Iowa high school state baseball tournament 2026: Scores, brackets
As for Indianola, all season long it's thrived by grabbing a few early runs to support the team's stellar pitching. And it worked again against Valley. Indianola, 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.
Bryant Ritchie, who dominated on the hill by allowing just three hits and one run to go along with his seven strikeouts, walked into the seventh inning with 24 pitches left before reaching the 110-pitch limit. He was able to finish off the final frame and earn the complete game.
?"Before the game and throughout the game, they kept telling me, 'You're going the whole game, be you, be you,'" Ritchie said. "Our pitching coaches are insane."
?It was all Indianola to begin the game, plating three runs on four hits, which all started with a Blake leadoff triple. Then Zach Benge would single, bringing in Blake, and so did Daxton Heimbaugh to drive in the third.
More: Indianola throws no-hitter, advances in Iowa state baseball tournament
?Blake would double in his second at-bat and, in the bottom of the sixth, was intentionally walked, reaching base in three of his four trips to the plate.
?Two more runs came across in the third. Ritchie helped himself out on the mound after singling, driving in run No. 5.?
Indianola and Ritchie held Valley hitless for the first two innings on Thursday night.? Drew Snook, Valley's No. 9 hitter, was the Tigers' first hit and base runner of the game, but was left stranded.
Ritchtie proceeded to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fourth inning. He gave up just one hit but ran into issues with walks and a hit batter.?
Valley made some noise in the top of the fifth after Snook reached base for the second time. Stedman, the team leader in RBIs and hits, doubled to bring home Snook, but that was the only run that came across.
"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."
Three more runs came across in the bottom of the sixth for even more insurance for Ritchie as Benge added his second RBI of the game and Asher Brueck added another with a sacrifice flyout.?
Indianola, a 2-seed, will meet 5-seed Pleasant Valley on Friday night in the state title game. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT
877-292-2126
