SALINA — The word of the day was “comfort.”
Behind the sterling pitching of Trent Latta, the Iola HIgh Mustangs remained in their comfort zone throughout their Class 4A state playoff quarterfinal against Coffeyville’s Field Kindley High School. Latta tossed a complete game shutout, allowing only four hits to Field Kindley in a 5-0 win. The victory moves Iola to the state semifinal and final rounds today. The Mustangs will take on DeSoto at 11 o’clock at Salina’s Dean Evans Stadium. The winner will play for the state championship at 6:30 this evening. The loser drops to the third-place game. “We’re comfortable with Trent on the mound,” Iola High senior and starting shortstop Levi Ashmore said. “He’s been on all year for us like that.” With Latt keeping the Golden Tornado hitters off balance, the Mustangs were methodical in producing some runs of their own. AShmore got things started in the bottom of the third with a one-out bunt single. “I noticed the third baseman was playing back, and they had a bigger pitcher on the mound,” Ashmore said. “I thought I’d have a chance.” He did, outracing the throw to first bace by an eyelash. “Levi always has the green light to do things like that,” Mustang head coach Mark Percy said. “He knows the situation and how to get things started.” Latta followed with a run-scoring triple. Derrick Weir followed two batters later with an RBI single. Drew Faulhaber pushed the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with a single to drive in Jacob Rhoads. Ashmore’s sacrifice fly drove in Tyler Clubine in the bottom of the sixth. Latta followed with his second RBI hit of the game, a single, to drive in Faulhaber. Latta found trouble in two innings. He induced a double play grounder to Ashmore in the top of the third after two Field Kindley batters had singled. Two more Golden Tornado singles with nobody out in the top of the sixth brought up the heart of the Field Kindley batting order. Latta responded by striking out Grant Newton and Lucas Lindesmith before retiring Micah Elrod on a fly ball to end the threat.
