CHANUTE — The ability to execute in pressure situations told the tale Friday for Iola High.
The Mustangs jumped out to an early 4-1 lead over host Chanute, but could not keep the Blue Comets at bay in the late innings.
Chanute rallied to tie the score in the sixth, and then scored the winning run in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh of a 5-4 victory.
“What’s sticking with me is execution,” Iola head coach Levi Ashmore said. “They executed, and we didn’t. Our offense continues to struggle, and we let a couple of balls drop in the outfield that we shouldn’t have.”
Even without the services of its top two pitchers — both Korbin Cloud and Mac Leonard pitched a day earlier in Burlington — Iola had the upper hand, thanks to a two-run double from Grady Dougherty in the top of the first, a passed ball that brought Easton Weseloh home in the second and Jase Herrmann’s RBI double in the top of the third.
The Blue Comets sliced their 4-1 deficit to 4-3 with a pair of RBI doubles in the fourth.
And Iola’s offense went cold late. Dougherty doubled with one out in the fifth, but advanced no further after the next two batters were retired.
Chanute knotted the score in the sixth on a sacrifice fly, and Iola came up empty again after Landon Weide and Korbin Cloud opened the seventh inning with singles for the Mustangs. Two strikeouts and a ground-out ended the threat.
Luke Noonan opened Chanute’s half of the seventh with a single. He came around to score two batters later on Royce Chaney’s walk-off single.
The loss spoiled a gutty pitching performance from Iola’s Dougherty, Weide and Ben Kerr. Dougherty scattered five hits over 2.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Weide went three innings, surrendering six hits with three strikeouts. Kerr pitched a hitless inning as well. Dougherty paced the offense with a single, double and two RBIs. Cloud singled and doubled. Herrmann added a double. Weide had a single.
“I’m proud of how our pitchers got us out of some situations and competed for us,” Ashmore said. “They did about all you can ask.”
The Mustangs are back in action Tuesday at home against Prairie View.
