GARNETT — Coming off of a 3-2 loss in game one against Anderson County, Iola High’s Ben Cooper came into a sticky situation to get the Mustangs a needed 6-4 win.
With the bases loaded, a 6-4 lead, and no one out, coach Mark Percy called on Cooper to come in as relief. He did his duty and made it look easy. He struck out the side, with a nasty hook from his curveball. Each Anderson County batter came up to the plate and left looking at strike three.
“It was a good game to end it, we needed it. Like I told you when we played Prairie View, I wasn’t very pleased with the [way we played],” Percy said. “We’ll get better, but it’s disappointing. But, we really needed that game and it was looking like it was getting away from us. I’m hoping that springs us forward a bit. Something’s got to change, we’re just not playing really good baseball.”
The Mustangs were down 4-3 heading into the final inning of game two. With two outs, they went on a three-run rally to take the lead.
Drew Faulhaber started the rally with a deep drive to left-center field, which ended up as a double. With one out, Coleson Wiggin moved Faulhaber to third base on a ground ball up the middle. Faulhaber represented the tying run at third base with two outs.
Evan Sigg came through with the clutch RBI-single that was driven into right field. The game was tied at 4-4. Kohl Endicott kept the inning alive with another RBI-single. Sigg had stolen second base on a wild pitch and then was moving on contact. Endicott’s single blooped over the second baseman’s head and out of the reach of the right fielder, which gave Sigg enough time to give the Mustangs a 5-4 lead.
After Endicott got into scoring position, Garrett Wade came through with another RBI-single. Iola had its insurance run and a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. That’s when Cooper eventually came into the game and earned the save.
“We didn’t hit the ball as well. We keep waiting for something to happen and swinging at some bad pitches,” Percy said. “In the second game, we actually came out and hit some good shots, but they were right at fielders. I was really pleased with how it ended.”
Iola started the game behind 2-0 entering the top of the fourth. Brett Taylor tied the game at 2-2 with a two-run scoring single. The Mustang’s first lead in the game came in the top of the fifth on a Wiggin sacrifice fly. Anderson County answered back in the bottom of the same inning for two runs and the 4-3 lead, which they held until Iola’s seventh inning rally.
Ethan Scheibmeir had a single and run scored. Keanen Badders had a single. Faulhaber had a double and run scored. Sigg had a single, RBI and run scored. Wiggin had an RBI. Endicott had a single, RBI and two runs scored. Wade had a single, RBI and run scored. Taylor had a single and two RBIs.
In game one, Iola lost 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh. With the game tied at 2-2, Anderson County had a walk-off RBI-double to win the game. It was Iola’s first loss of the season.
The Mustangs scored both of their runs in the sixth inning to tie the game. Faulhaber started the inning off with a single and then swiped second base. Wiggin followed with a single. Both eventually scored on fielder’s choices. Endicott was credited with an RBI.
“We’re not going to tear the cover off the ball, so we have to run the bases and get runners in scoring position,” Percy said. “Somebody has got to put the ball in play and make it happen.”
Iola (5-1) host Chanute at 4:30 p.m. on Friday for a doubleheader.
Mustangs rally for seventh inning win over Bulldogs
