FORT SCOTT — The Iola Post 15 Indians evened their record to 5-5 following Tuesday’s 14-2, 17-1 victories over the Fort Scott Freedom.
After coming up short against Chanute last Friday, the Indians’ bats came alive Tuesday as they quickly put the Freedom away iwith a barrage of early scores.
Iola coach T.J. Taylor also credited the sweep to strong pitching and defense.
“The bats were hot and the defense was locked down,” Coach Taylor said. “It makes a difference when you have zero errors in the field, down from six the last time (against Chanute). We were doing the little things right, and Iola is built off pitching and defense, but when the bats get hot, they get hot.”
Moran starter Tyler Lord picked up the win in the opener. His two strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings on the mound was a bit misleading as he fielded a slew of choppers to the mound while keeping Fort Scott off of the scoreboard until the fourth inning. Moran reliever Thomas Allee pitched 1 2/3 innings to pick up the save while tallying a team-leading three strikeouts.
Moran catcher Dominic Smith drives in a run during the opener.
As Lord and Allee went to work on the mound, the Indians’ batters secured a 14-2 mercy rule with a four-run first inning and nine runs in the fifth. A grounder by Iola outfielder Kale Pratt put the Indians on the scoreboard in the opening frame. An RBI single by Iola second baseman Brock Michael and a sacrifice fly by Colony outfielder Henry White gave Post 15 a 4-0 advantage.
Melvern import outfielder Dalton Lingenfelter plated the first of his team-leading three RBIs in the second inning. He finished the night perfect in the batter’s box in 3 of 3 at-bats.
“I just started getting hot, and I’m trying to keep with it,” Lingenfelter said. “I try to see the ball early and try to get ahead in the count. It’s a long drive to Iola, but I heard they were a good team, and I wanted to play on a good team.”
The Indians closed out the opener in the fifth inning. A Pratt sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Humboldt shortstop Ty Shaughnessy gave Iola a five-run cushion, then Post 15 went on a tear after adding seven runs with two outs. Moran catcher Dominic Smith added a pair of runs with an RBI single, then Allee added another pair of runs with an RBI single. A Lord RBI double, followed by a Lingenfelter two-RBI single sealed the victory.
Shaughnessy, Lord and Smith tied for second in RBIs and hits. They each had two RBIs each and were also successful in 2 of 3 at-bats.
White credited confidence built from the opener for the Indians’ blow-out victory in the nightcap. White was one of three Indians with three RBIs, which doesn’t seem that high until realizing the game ended at five innings, as per American Legion rules, and not by mercy rule.
“It was just confidence, and us doing our jobs,” White said. “It felt pretty good. Hopefully we can keep it going.”
Iola starting pitcher Austin Crooks tied Iola first baseman Roy Gordon and White for the team lead in hits with two, but his biggest contribution was on the mound where he held Fort Scott to just two hits while throwing a pair of shutout innings before turning over duties to Iola reliever Broden Emerson. Emerson went on to tally a team-leading five strikeouts over two innings before handing over duties to Smith, who wrapped up the final inning with a strikeout.
“I was just thinking pound the zone, fill up the strike zone and get the job done and come out with the win,” Emerson said. “I felt good. My arm felt good before I came out.”
After getting on the scoreboard on a wide pitch in the opening frame, the Indians took a 2-0 advantage on an RBI single by Crooks. In the second inning, Post 15’s lead extended to 6-0 off RBIs from Lord, Shaughnessy and wild pitches. The Indians added eight more runs in the third off RBIs from Crooks, Michael and White, as well as a pair of beaned batters with bases loaded.
Iola’s three runs in the fifth seemed like overkill as Shaughnessy added another RBI on a single and White in one swing hit a base-clearing triple. White and Michael tied for the team lead in RBIs with three each. White also tied Gordon and Crooks for the team lead in hits with a pair each.
