BURLINGTON — Iola’s AA Indians escaped with one win against Burlington Tuesday night.
The Indians (12-4) held off a five-run surge from the Wildcats in the second inning of game one and came up with just enough runs late for the 8-6 win. In game two, Iola served up 15 runs across the first three innings in the 15-3 drubbing.
Game one — 8-6 win
Iola took an early 5-0 lead across the first two innings before Burlington scored five runs to knot the game at 5-5 heading to the third. The Indians then scored two runs in the fourth and another run in the top of the seventh to hold on for an 8-6 victory.
Trevor Church sent an RBI ground ball to shortstop which he reached by error for the 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Sam Hull then grounded out to shortstop to score one more run and give Iola a 2-0 advantage.
Brandon McKarnin got the start on the mound for Iola. He worked five innings, allowing five runs on two hits with seven strikeouts. Church tossed the final two innings allowing only one run on two hits with one strikeout.
In the second, Tre Wilson doubled to left field to score two runs and put Iola ahead, 4-0. Church then flew out to right field to score another and make it a 5-0 game.
Burlington came back with a Drew Konrade RBI single to shortstop for the 5-1 score. Four batters later, Hunter Cole singled to center field to plate two more runs and allow the Wildcats to knot the game at 5-5.
Church grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Korbin Fountain for the one-run lead, 6-5. Henry White then scored on a wild pitch to go ahead, 7-5.
Konrade stepped up again for Burlington in the bottom of the sixth when he grounded out to first base to bring home one more run, winnowing Iola’s lead to 7-6.
Rogan Weir cushioned Iola’s lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI single to left field which brought home Hull for the 8-6 victory.
Game two — 15-3 loss
Burlington made quick work of Iola in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring 15 runs across the first three innings including seven runs in the first and six in the second. The Indians didn’t have a big answer at the plate, scoring three runs across four frames.
Ashton Hesse took the loss for the Indians after recording one out and serving up six runs on two hits with three walks. Hull threw 1.1 innings in relief, giving up seven runs on three hits before Jack White tossed the final 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits.
Burlington’s Maddux Cheever and Konrade each drove in a team-high two runs while Cheever had a team-high three hits and Sage Fejfar had two hits.
