LA CYGNE — Iola High softball coach Vince Coons figures his team has been unable to work outdoors on roughly 70 percent of their practice sessions in the 2013 season because of weather.
“And on Monday, it looked like it,” Coons said.
The Fillies had troubles on defense, misfiring on a enough potential plays to extend innings for their opponents.
The resulting losses, 11-1 to Prairie View and 10-6 to Central Heights, relegates the Fillies to the fifth-place game today in the final round of the Pioneer League Tournament.
Iola’s game against Anderson County begins at 2 p.m. at the Allen Community College softball diamond.
“If there were ever two games that epitomized our season, these were it,” Coons said of Monday’s matchups.
Prairie View got the early jump in the opener, leading 2-0 after one inning and 4-0 after two. The Buffalos scored five in the third to take full control.
The Fillies’ offense was held in check by Prairie View. Iola was limited to a single hit.
Hannah Endicott drilled a one-out single in the top of the fourth inning. She came around to score on a pair of Buffalo errors for Iola’s only run.
Mackenzie Weseloh handled the pitching duties, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out two.
CENTRAL HEIGHTS also took early advantage in the nightcap, lead 4-0 after the first inning.
Iola responded with two in the second, keyed by Shelby Reno’s leadoff double and Holly Schomaker’s two-out single.
But the Vikings responded immediately with three more runs in the second to lead 7-2.
Reno reached on an error in the fourth and scored on Weseloh’s single.
The Fillies then plated four in the sixth inning. Hannah Endicott led off with a single. Baylea Thompson drilled a two-run double.
