HUMBOLDT — The Iola A Indians tried to be gracious hosts this weekend, but even so sent two out of three of their opponents home licking their wounds.
The Indians (8-6) opened the action by defeating Garnett’s Post 48 Muddogs with a middle inning offensive onslaught for a 14-8 win. Iola then let a six-run lead slip away and fell by three runs to Independence, 9-6.
In the third game of the afternoon, Iola brought out the bats and crushed Fort Scott’s E3 Freedom 16U team, 11-1. It wrapped up a week of playing nine games for the Indians.
“As long as they are giving me 100%, I’ll all be fine,” Iola head coach Jason Bauer said. “We’re starting to hit a groove and we’ve got to continue that from game to game and not get complacent. They just want to continue to get better, which is good to see.”
Iola v Garnett — 14-8 win
Iola fell behind early by five runs but scratched to take the lead in the fourth inning en route to a 14-8 victory.
Kade Nilges did just about everything to help the Indians secure the win. He pitched 3.2 innings of relief while allowing only three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts to earn the win. At the plate, Nilges drove in a team-high four runs and had one hit.
“We weren’t on the good side early but we kept fighting and we started hitting the ball,” Bauer said. “I told the kids, hitting is contagious. We’re starting to hit the ball as a team, score more runs and that makes it easier for us to win ball games.”
Blake Ellis doubled to left field to score Cole Mathes and give the Indians a brief 1-0 lead.
Garnett plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning, after Iola scored one of their own.
Garnett’s AJ Schaffer singled to left to score the Muddogs’ first run and knot the game at 1-1. Rigin Jasper then walked with the bases loaded for the 2-0 lead. Schaffer was back at the plate and unloaded a three-run double into left for the 5-1 lead to wrap up the first inning.
Jack Dykes added on to the Garnett lead in the second inning when he singled to left to score another run and put Iola in a 6-1 hole.
Niges knocked home two runs in the top of the third when he grounded out to shortstop that included an error at first base for the 6-3 score. Grady Dougherty then doubled to left field to drive home the Indians fourth run and make it a 6-4 game.
Iola’s Weir grounded to shortstop where he reached on an error which allowed another Indian run to cross home and cut the deficit to 6-5. Tyler Lord then tied the game at 6-6 when he grounded out to shortstop to score one.
Garnett wasn’t going home without a fight. Connor Prothe grounded out to shortstop which allowed one run to come home and put the Muddogs back ahead, 7-6. Brodie Wiesner singled to center field to plate one more run for the 8-6 score.
