OSAWATOMIE — It’s not much of a sample size yet, but Iola High’s baseball squad has found a familiar — and successful — path to victory. THERE WAS no such drama in the nightcap. Iola scored six in the top of the first. Weir’s three-run double was key, as was Barclay’s RBI single that followed.
Just like their season opener nearly three weeks prior, the Mustangs came from behind to capture a hard-fought win in the opening game of their doubleheader against Osawatomie. And just like before, the Mustangs cruised to a sweep in the second game, trouncing the Trojans in the nightcap.
Iola’s 7-6 and 11-2 wins give the Mustangs a 4-0 record following an extended layoff due to spring break followed by persistent bad weather.
“We’ve got some things to work on, but it was good just to get out there and play,” Mustang coach Mark Percy said. “We had some guys hit the ball well, and we got some good pitching performances.”
After assorted rainouts has kept the team from playing or practicing much in recent weeks, the schedule will pick up. Iola has back-to-back doubleheaders scheduled on Monday and Tuesday, which will test the Mustangs’ pitching staff, Percy noted.
“We’ll have to count on some guys who haven’t had a chance to get out and pitch yet,” he said.
Tuesday’s wins shows some are already in mid-season form.
Iola forged ahead 3-0 in the opener. Aaron Barclay singled in a run in the first before Mason Coons pounded an RBI double, then came in to score on Barclay’s single in the third.
Osawatomie responded with four runs in the third to take the lead.
Undaunted, the Mustangs responded with two in the top of the fourth, with a two-run double by Coons, followed by two more in the top of the fifth on Eric Heffern’s single.
Osawatomie scored again in the fifth, then plated one in the seventh before Levi Ashmore induced a pop-out to end the game with the tying run on first.
Coons went 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored to lead the way.
Ashmore went 2-for-4 with two runs. Derrick Weir singled, while Barclay had two hits, as did Cole Morrison. Heffern had a single.
Coons picked up the win, giving up four hits and three walks over four innings with five strikeouts. Barclay added two hitless innings of relief. Ashmore got the save, giving up a hit in his inning of work.
Weir reached on a walk in the top of the second and scored on Barclay’s double in the second. Weir’s double was prominent in Iola’s three-run third inning, pushing the Mustangs’ lead to 10-1.
Heffern capped the scoring when he reached on an error in the fourth and scored on Trent Latta’s sacrifice fly.
Latta got the win, giving up three hits and two walks in five innings, while racking up 10 strikeouts. Drew Faulhaber pitched two perfect innings in relief, with two more strikeouts.
Barclay went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Weir pounded out two doubles with three runs and three RBIs. Latta went 2-for-3 with a double.
The Mustangs travel to Anderson County for two games Monday and Prairie View for two more Tuesday.
Mustangs sweep past Osawatomie
