Hiland softball falls to Indian Valley, 12-2, in home matchup

Leeland Stollings led Indian Valley offensively with a 3-for-4 night, a home run, three RBI and two runs as the Braves rolled to a 12-2 victory over the Hiland Hawks at Hiland High School in Berlin on April 6, 2026, according to the official box score on MaxPreps. Hiland’s Eloise Bickel produced a lone bright spot at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, but the Hawks were unable to stem Indian Valley’s scoring across multiple innings.

The MaxPreps box score also credits Indian Valley’s Addison Cross with a 1-for-2 performance that included two runs, one stolen base and two RBI, part of a balanced Braves attack that posted its largest output of the early season in the April 6 game. The loss was one of several lopsided results for Hiland in early April: the Hawks were shut out 0-19 by Waynedale on April 4, and the teams rematched on April 8 when Indian Valley again scored in bunches, topping Hiland 15-3 with Cambrye Pall going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI and Jaylyn Gardner going 2-for-2 with three RBI.

Those consecutive high-run totals — 19 allowed on April 4, 12 on April 6 and 15 on April 8 — underscore run-prevention as a pressing area of concern for Hiland’s coaching staff. MaxPreps notes and the program’s schedule show Hiland has fallen into several early-season deficits, and the program’s historical head-to-head record versus Indian Valley, which includes an 0-7 stretch against the Braves since April 2018, gives additional context to why coaches are re-evaluating pitching rotations and lineup configurations now rather than later in the season.

Practical adjustments are emerging as immediate priorities: increasing bullpen depth, tightening defensive alignments on routine plays, and sharpening situational hitting with runners in scoring position. Hiland’s coaches are continuing to rotate players in early-season contests to broaden experience and identify reliable matchups for Inter Valley South conference play, while younger athletes and players returning from injury can expect opportunities to stake a claim on a regular role.

Families and supporters who want to follow the Hawks should consult the Hiland Athletics calendar and the team’s MaxPreps pages for updated game times, box scores and any weather-related changes; Hiland High School is located at 4400 State Route 39 East, Berlin, Ohio 44610. The April 6 result functions as an early-season calibration point: unless pitching and situational defense improve, Hiland risks another stretch of high-run losses that could affect conference positioning as the schedule moves deeper into April and May.