An eight-run Burlington High rally in the top of the seventh inning sank Iola High’s hopes for victory on the softball diamond Tuesday.
The Fillies dropped a pair to Burlington in Iola’s home opener, falling 8-2 in the first game, and 15-8 in the nightcap.
Nevertheless, Iola’s squad has already shown improvement in all facts of the game compared to Friday’s shutout loss to Chanute, head coach Chris Weide said.
“We pitched better today, and the girls did a better job at the plate,” Weide said.
And the Fillies defense was markedly better than an up-and-down performance last week.
“Our outfielders were more aggressive at getting to the ball,” Weide said. “They did a great job, and made some nice plays.”
Burlington took control in the opener by scoring two runs each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, to break open a 2-1 lead.
Iola scored its first tally in the bottom of the first after Aysha Houk led off the frame with a double and scored on Kailey Schinstock’s two-out RBI single.
But that was pretty much it until Jenna Curry roped a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Burlington starter Myka Watkins ended the game from there with a strikeout to earn the win.
Curry led the Fillies offensive attack with a pair of doubles. Houk went 2-for-4 with a double as well. Reece Murry and Schinstock both had singles.
Jenna Miller took the loss. She struck out two and surrendered 19 hits in her complete game effort.
BURLINGTON only scored in two innings in Game 2. Unfortunately, those scoring rallies came in bunches, with the Wildcats scoring seven in the second and eight in the seventh.
Meanwhile, Iola scored two in the second, one each in the second and third and three in the bourth to knot the score at 7-7.
Maci Miller’s RBI double in the bottom of the sixth gave the Fillies an 8-7 lead before Burlignton’s winning rally. She also went the distance as a pitcher, striking out two while allowing 21 hits.
The pitching statistics bely the effort both Jenna and Maci Miller showed, Weide said.
“I thought Jenna pitched much better, and I was proud of Maci with how she battled,” he said.
Houk and Curry led off the bottom of the first with singles, leading to an RBI grounder by Reece Murry and Schinstock’s run-scoring single for a 2-0 lead.
Iola scored in the second after Chloe Sell earned a two-out walk and came around to score on a Burlington fielding error.
