Hunter Preston knew if he could just get the ball in play, that Wyatt Seufert could do the rest.
Seufert was on third base in the 2-2 game in the fifth and final inning of game two Thursday of Iola American Legion’s A team doubleheader against Chanute.
Preston accomplished what he set out to do and lined a 1-1 pitch back up the middle.
Seufert paused for a moment to see if the Chanute shortstop would be able to field the ball cleanly. The ball bounced once before going into his glove and Seufert broke for the plate.
“I was stopping to make sure if their shortstop caught the ball or not,” Seufert said. “If he didn’t, then it was a do-or-die situation for me, so I just went for it.”
One of the fastest runners on the Indians, Seufert may have scored even with a perfect throw, but when the throw was a little offline, it left little doubt as Seufert slid across the plate and gave Iola the 3-2 win.
“It felt really good to score it,” Seufert said.
Beating Chanute will serve as a confidence boast for the single-A Indians. The team of mostly freshmen and sophomores in high school had a tough time in a tournament last weekend in Ottawa, but Collins thinks winning the second game Thursday gives the confidence they need early in the year.
“Winning one out of five in the tournament last weekend was tough, but coming here and getting a split against the team that won the tournament in Ottawa was big for us,” Collins said. “That was a big bounceback win.”
Iola lost the first game to Chanute, 14-5, but was able to score three runs in the final inning of the loss.
“I think those runs gave us a little more confidence going into the second game,” Seufert said.
That momentum helped the bats get going quicker in game two. The Indians posted a pair of runs in the second inning when Justice Pugh and Casen Barker was each able to score.
“Anytime you get a hit for any kid, it is going to help his confidence,” Collins said. “Carrying that momentum into the second game definitely helped.”
Chanute was able to tie the game in the third with a pair of runs, but that was it offensively, setting the table for Seufert’s slide to win it in fifth.
Pugh and Nate Berry pitched game two for Iola and combined to hold Chanute to just the two runs.
“Nate is a really good four-inning guy,” Collins said. “He throws a lot of strikes, and since he is a soft-throwing lefty, he gives a lot of hitters troubles.”
