The Iola American Legion Post 15 Junior Indians went winless in four games while hosting the relocated 16U/18U tournament over the weekend at Allen Community College.
After opening with a 5-2 loss to Fort Scott, the Junior Indians’ woes continued with a 10-2 loss to the Bartlesville Braves and 14-1 losses to USA Prime Midwest and Mickey Owens Baseball School Billets, respectively.
“It was tough. There were some very good teams — probably the best we’ll play all year,” Iola coach Ryker Curry said. “It will get us better for state. The arms we saw this weekend are going to be better than anything we will see this season. Hopefully, it will make it easier, and we won’t be shocked.”
In the opener, the Indians nearly overcame a four-run deficit but fell short in their final at-bat. After going scoreless in the first and second innings, Iola starting pitcher Braylon Keithly tied the game 1-1 in the third after scoring on a wild pitch.
Fort Scott scored four runs in the fifth, but the Indians responded with a run in the seventh after Keithly scored on another wild pitch before an out during the same at-bat cut the rally short with two runners on base.
Lane Lord, Moran third baseman, connects with a pitch Sunday.
Keithly took the loss despite raking up a team-leading four strikeouts over five innings, allowing five runs on five hits. Moran reliever Thomas Allee picked up a pair of strikeouts while coming on in the sixth inning, allowing just one hit. Donovan and Keithly tied for the team lead in hits with two each.
“We’ve improved a lot, especially since the beginning of the year, but our record may not show it,” Coach Curry said. “We’ve been getting beat pretty bad, but we’ve gotten better. We got beat by Fort Scott 17-0 earlier this year, and we turned around here and played pretty close to them. If a couple of things happened here and there, we probably would have won that game.”
Later that afternoon, the Indians fell 10-2 to Bartlesville, who scored 10 unanswered runs before ending the game in the sixth inning. A pair of bases-loaded walks put Iola up 2-0 after the opening frame, but that was it as far as the Indians’ offensive production.
Moran starting pitcher Lane Lord took the loss. He accounted for all four of Post 15’s strikeouts but allowed five runs on six hits before exiting after the fourth inning. Iola first baseman Austin Campbell registered the Indians’ only hit. Keithly and Iola shortstop Cade Curry each registered RBIs with their walks in the first inning.
Braylon Keithly, Iola outfielder, throws to second after fielding a ball on a stand-up double Sunday.
The Indians opened the final day of competition with a 14-1 loss to USA Prime. The Prime no-hit the Indians while scoring 14 unanswered runs. Curry broke the goose egg after scoring on a wild pitch, but it was not enough to stave off a mercy rule after the fourth inning.
Colony starting pitcher Will Disbrow took the loss after allowing four runs on two hits and a walk. Iola reliever Jaxen Mueller registered the Indians’ only strikeout after taking the mound in the third inning, but he also allowed six runs on four hits and three walks.
The Indians wrapped up the weekend on the wrong side of a no-hitter at the hands of the Billets, who scored six unanswered runs before Campbell registered Post 15’s only RBI with a bases-loaded walk. Iola starting pitcher Cade Curry took the loss but recorded the Indians’ only strikeouts, allowing three runs on one hit and three walks.
“We’re starting to play our best baseball,” Coach Curry said. “It might not look like it, but we’ve improved. Our at-bats are a lot better, and we’re hitting the ball hard. Our pitching has improved. We’re throwing a lot of strikes and making plays we need to make.”
With the losses, the Junior Indians fell to 4-9-1. They return to the diamond Wednesday while hosting Garnett. First pitch for Wednesday’s contest is 6 p.m. for the opener and 8 p.m. for the nightcap.
