Mustangs sweep under Tigers, stand atop SEK

FORT SCOTT — No margin for error for Iola High’s Mustangs as they seek their first-ever league title in baseball.
They took another big step Monday night in securing that Southeast Kansas League championship. The Mustangs posted wins of 2-1 and 8-5 in a league showdown with Fort Scott High’s Tigers.
Both teams were 10-2 in league play going into the doubleheader at Fort Scott”s Ty Cullor Field. With the wins, the Mustangs moved to 12-2 and 16-2, their best showing in the program’s seven-year history.
Iola has one more SEK doubleheader to finish the regular season. The Mustangs will be at home Thursday against Pittsburg High’s Purple Dragons. The games will be played at Allen County Community College.
 Pittsburg (9-3, 11-4) plays at Labette County tonight. Columbus (11-3, 12-5) hosts Coffeyville tonight. Fort Scott (10-4, 11-6) plays at Chanute Thursday.
Pittsburg, Columbus and Fort Scott are chasing Iola. The Mustangs are in charge of their own position. All they need to do is keep winning.
Jerrik Sigg threw a complete game for the Mustangs Monday. He limited the Tigers to three hits for six innings then gave up back-to-back doubles that produced a run in the seventh.
Sigg retired the next two batters on a fly ball and his third strikeout of the game. Iola had single runs in the third and fourth to take a 2-0 lead and won 2-1.
In the third inning with one gone, Clint Heffern singled with one gone in the third. Sigg reached on an error and Iola had a 1-0 lead.
Mason Coons opened the fourth with a double followed by a base hit by Drew Walden. Jarred Latta delivered a one-out RBI single.
Sigg, who only walked one, and the Iola defense did the rest. The Mustangs turned a double play in the sixth.
Other hits in the game for Iola were a single each by Levi Ashmore and Braden Larson.
The Mustangs fell behind 5-0 in the second game then stormed back for the 8-5 win.
It all started with two outs in the fifth. Devon Conner singled then J. Latta got on because of an error. Ashmore cranked out a two-run double.
The Mustangs tied the game in the sixth. Larson and Coons had back-to-back walks after one was gone. Walden doubled in a run, Conner’s ground-out produced a run and Latta’s single plated the equalizer.
Iola had the bases loaded with two out in the top of the seventh. Walden delivered a three-run double to put the Mustangs up.
Ashmore got the win in relief. He finished two innings on the mound for the Mustangs. He allowed two hits, one each in the sixth and the seventh, walked one and struck out two.
J. Latta was the Iola starter and was charged with three runs on seven hits and one walk, with one strikeout in three innings of work. Heffern pitched two innings, giving up two runs on three hits.
Walden had two doubles with four RBIs. Conner hit a single and a double. Ashmore and Heffern had a double apiece. Larson and Latta each had a single.