It was a tale of two games Wednesday, as the American Legion Post 15 Indians 19U rebounded from a 14-2 loss in the first game to take a 6-2 victory over the Garnett Post 48 Muddogs in the nightcap.
The Muddogs mercy-ruled the Indians before the sixth inning of the opener, but nearly flawless performances in the second game by outfielder Dalton Lingenfelter, pitcher Kale Pratt and closer Dominic Smith evened the Indians’ record to 3-3.
Lingenfelter was the Indians’ lone offensive bright spot in the first game. After going scoreless over the first two innings, he broke Iola’s goose-egg in the third with a two-run single. But that was about it.
Shaughnessy took the loss while tallying a team-leading four strikeouts. He allowed nine runs on four hits and seven walks before reliever Broden Emerson came in for relief in the third inning. After allowing a run on three hits and two walks, Iola coach T.J. Taylor opted for reliever Brock Michael, who registered a strikeout over his one inning of work.
Lingenfelter stayed hot in game two, but it was Smith who drove him in on a grounder that put the Indians up 1-0 after the opening frame. Lingenfelter’s sacrifice fly once again put Iola ahead by a run, but both teams went scoreless until the fourth inning, when Garnett tied the game with a grounder.
The Indians exploded with four runs in the fourth. An RBI grounder by pinch hitter Roy Gordon gave Iola a 3-2 lead, then Lingenfelter hit an RBI single, third baseman Thomas Allee scored on an errant pitch, and a bases-loaded walk added four more runs.
Pratt picked up the win with a team-leading four strikeouts over three innings, allowing a run on three hits. Smith closed out the final two innings. Despite not playing college baseball after a successful 2025 senior season at Marmaton Valley, Smith showed little rust in his return to the mound with a strikeout over two innings while holding the Muddogs hitless, allowing one run on two walks.
Lingenfelter finished the night as the Indians’ leader in RBIs and hits. He was a perfect 2 of 2 in the batter’s box with two RBIs. Shaughnessy, Smith and Gordon tied for second with one run driven in each. Shaughnessy and Emerson tied for second in hits with one each.
The Indians return to the diamond Friday, when they face Chanute Post 170 on the road at Santa Fe Park. First pitch for the opener is at 6 p.m. with an 8 p.m. start slated for the nightcap.
