Tuesday offered a perfect illustration of how successful a softball team can be when its pitchers throw strikes, and its fielders avoid errors. THE OPENER was a different story.
Iola High’s Fillies were victimized by four errors and nine walks in their opener, a 14-0 loss to Anderson County.
But things turned around nicely in the nightcap.
Starting pitcher Mackenzie Weseloh allowed just one hit, while walking only three. Meanwhile, Iola committed just two errors and turned in several sparkling plays in a 6-2 victory.
The doubleheader splits puts the Fillies at 1-3 on the season.
“What a difference a game makes,” Iola head coach Vince Coons said. “We knew we could beat these guys if we played a clean game, and that’s what we did.”
While Weseloh was keeping Anderson County’s hitters at bay, the Fillies got the early jump when Ashlie Shields led off the first on a walk. She moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an error.
The lead stayed at 1-0 until Hannah Endicott was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth. She, too, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on Shelby Reno’s single.
The Fillies broke things open with a four run fifth. Alexis Heslop and Shields led of the frame with walks. They scored on Endicott’s two-run double. Jadyn Sigg drove in another run with a single.
Weseloh wobbled a bit in the sixth. A walk, a hit and two wild pitches led to both Lady Bulldog runs before Weseloh induced a pair of grounders to end the frame. She also worked around a leadoff walk in the seventh to finish off the win.
“We got contributions from up and down the lineup,” Coons said. “It’s amazing how much pressure you can put on a defense when you get on base.”
The Fillies worked seven walks against Anderson County pitching in the contest. Shields walked twice and scored twice. Endicott had a double and two runs. Reno had a single, as did Sigg.
Iola had several sparkling plays on defense. Sigg made a dazzling, diving catch in the outfield to prevent an Anderson County hit in the first inning.
Endicott and Reno combined in a nifty 6-5-3 double play to end the Lady Bulldogs’ fourth inning.
“This is the way I know we’re capable of playing,” Coons said.
Endicott walked four in the first inning alone as Anderson County took an early 2-0 lead. The Lady Bulldogs pushed across five in the third, four in the fourth and three in the fifth to wrest full control.
The Fillies, conversely, managed only one hit, a Reno single in the second inning.
“Hannah fought hard,” Coons said. “She just didn’t have it tonight, and we left her out there too long because we didn’t make the plays we needed to.”
Weseloh allowed four hits and struck out five.
The Fillies junior varsity is scheduled to travel to Burlington Thursday. The varsity Fillies return to action next Tuesday at home against Osawatomie.
Fillies pick up season’s first win, earn split
