There definitely was not a lack of confidence in the air Monday evening as the Iola Indians American Legion team held its final practice before the AA Zone Two tournament kicks off at the Humboldt Sports Complex tonight.
It’s the second season that the Indians have hosted the tournament and the prevailing notion out on the baseball diamond on Monday was that wasn’t the only thing that would be repeated from last summer.
“I think we’re the most talented team in the tournament,” Rick Vink said. “And I think the boys understand that too. We just have to play up to our ability. We need to limit our mistakes and, honestly, if we come out and play the way we’re capable of, we should have a very good chance winning the whole tournament. That’s how I feel.”
The defending zone champions have taken their lumps at times this summer, coming into the tournament with a 13-13 record and the number three seed in the tournament. To the average onlooker, this level of confidence coupled with a such a mediocre record would more than likely have the smell of classic overcompensation.
However, Vink and his players insist this is not the case. Their schedule has left them battle-hardened as they’ve gone up against some of the top American Legion talent in the region.
“Our record probably doesn’t indicate how good of a team we are,” Vink said. “We played a very difficult schedule. We played in a lot of showcases and we played a lot of teams from all over the midwest. Garnett is the one seed and we’re 2-0 against them and last year we beat them twice to win the zone tournament. They may feel they’re better than us but we don’t feel that way.”
The Indians will be taking on Whitewater-Remington Broncos, a team that Iola has not faced this season but has had similar struggles due in part to the strong Wichita-area competition that they play.
“They don’t have a great record but they’re a lot like us,” Vink said. “They play a lot of Wichita schools and bigger schools so they’re record probably doesn’t indicate how good of a team they will be.”
Issac Vink is scheduled to get the start and he comes into the game with a 2.47 ERA and eight strikeouts over 17 innings pitched this season.
“We feel like with the matchup we have, if he throws strikes and let them put it in play we’ll be fine if we play good defense,” Venk said.
The Indians also hope to return pitcher Daylor Splane who has been out for several week after recovering from an infection of a cut on his hand.
“My whole hand was the size of a baseball,” Splane said. “But I feel pretty good. I’m ready to come back and play baseball after what seems like forever.”
Getting Splane back would be a coup for the Indians as he’s one of their best pitchers.
“He hasn’t thrown a baseball in a little over a month,” Vink said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to use him in zone because it would definitely be nice to have his arm back. No earned runs in 11 innings pitched, 18 strikeouts and no walks. We’d definitely like to have him able to throw if he can.”
Iola will take on Whitewater at 6 p.m. at the Humboldt Sports Complex and will take on the winner of No. 2 seed Frontenac and No. 7 seed Yates Center if they win.
IN THEIR ZONE: Indians hope to turn regular season lessons into postseason wins
