PRATT — Iola’s AA American Legion team will play for its second straight state championship.
The Leslie Campbell Post 15 Indians completed a 5-4 win over Sabetha this afternoon in a game suspended from Friday evening, due to rain.
Iola led 5-4 headed into the top of the seventh. Sabetha snuffed around a two-out rally by Iola in the top of the inning, stranding two runners.
Relief pitcher Trent Latta then worked around a one-out double by Sabetha’s McKenzie McAfee. Latta struck out Kyle Stallbaumer for the second out — after falling behind in the count 3-0 — and retired cleanup hitter Taylor Bauman on a fly ball to left for the third out.
Iola will play in the championship game either tonight between 6:30 and 7, or Sunday morning at 10 o’clock.
The game time will be dictated by who advances through the losers bracket. Sabetha will play the winner of the Hays TMP and Westmoreland-Rock Creek contest this afternoon at about 4 o’clock. If Sabetha wins, it will play Iola in the championship game tonight at 7.
However, neither Hays or Rock Creek will be allowed to play a third game in one day. If either of those teams advance, they will play Iola Sunday morning.
Iola is gunning for a state championship repeat. The Indians also won the state title in 1988 and finished second in 1990.
