The American Legion Post 15 15-and-under Indians picked up their first win of the season after splitting Thursday’s doubleheader against Uniontown.
After snapping a four-game slide with a 7-6 victory in the opener, the Indians fell in the finale 5-4.
They return to the diamond Tuesday when they host the Midwest Elite 15U for a doubleheader at 6 and 8 p.m.
Pitcher Andrew Donovan picked up the win while spitting time with two relievers. He tallied three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings pitched while allowing four walks and two earned runs. A bases-loaded walk and an RBI by outfielder Brodon Westerman gave Post 15 a 2-0 advantage after the opening frame.
Uniontown set off a back-and-forth battle by responding with a run in the first inning and two more in the third, only for the Indians to retake the lead 4-3 on RBI singles from catcher Lane Lord and shortstop Braylon Keithly.
Another Uniontown rally put Iola in another deficit, but the Indians responded with a bases-loaded walk and a Donovan RBI single for the win. Wrestler and Westerman tied for second in strikeouts while picking up one each in relief of Donovan. Donovan also had the team-lead in RBIs with two while Keithly had a team-leading three hits.
The Indians’ luck ran out in the finale as an errant pitch resulted in a walk-off run and Post 15’s fifth loss of the season. Keithly pitched all three innings of the finale, registering four strikeouts while allowing four runs. First baseman Milo Franklin put Post 15 on the scoreboard after reaching home on a passed ball in the second inning. Donovan reached home in similar fashion in the third inning after a Keithley RBI single to give Iola its first lead of the finale.
Their lead, however, was short lived. Uniontown rallied with two runs in the third inning for the win.
