Everything was going Iola High’s way on the softball diamond Friday.
The Mustangs put together one of their most complete games of the season, a 12-0 shutout over visiting Field Kindley High School of Coffeyville.
“We jumped on them in Game 1, but for whatever reason, we came out flat in Game 2,” Mustang head coach Chris Weide said.
Field Kindley took advantage, erupting for seven runs in the top of the fifth, and then tacking on five more in the top of the seventh to take control.
Iola bounced back with five runs in the bottom of the inning, but it was too little, too late in a 13-9 setback.
“We always talk about, when we’re up in games, how every run matters,” Weide said. “We like to get that cushion. Today, it kind of backfired on us, and we didn’t stop that bleeding. We made a run, but it was too big of a gap to overcome.”
The Mustangs will take a 15-9 into their regular season finale Tuesday at Santa Fe Trail.
Iola entered Friday’s doubleheader with Weide opting to rest No. 1 pitcher Elza Clift, instead playing her at third base, because of a sore arm.
“Elza warmed up, but after going seven innings the game before, we thought it was a little much to throw her this soon. This gives her some time.”
In her stead, freshman Zoie Hesse pitched her best game for the season. Hesse pitched all five innings, striking out seven and limiting the Golden Tornado to one hit.
Field Kindley’s best scoring opportunity, in the top of the third, came about when a runner reached second because of a fielding error.
But Iola left fielder Kyndal Bycroft preserved the shutout with a diving catch with two outs.
“We don’t have many diving plays in the outfield,” Weide said. “To see one is pretty dang cool.”
The Mustang offense was clicking from the start, scoring twice in the first inning, four more in the second and three runs each in both the third and fourth innings.
Curry paced the offense with a pair of two-run doubles, while Kaysin Crusinbery and Kinsey Schinstock both added key RBI doubles. Clift, Harper Desmarteau and Alana Mader added singles as well.
“We jumped on them pretty quickly,” Weide said.
A LEADOFF error and a two-out double in Field Kindley’s first inning put Iola in a quick 1-0 hole in Game 2.
The Mustangs responded promptly, with Clift’s leadoff single and a Golden Tornado error, opening the door for Hesse’s sacrifice fly to even the score.
Two more Golden Tornado fielding errors pushed Iola ahead 3-1.
Hesse, who returned to the mound for Game 2, held that lead through the middle innings before tiring in the top of the fifth.
