Try as hard as it could, Fort Scott’s AA American Legion squad had no hand that could beat Iola’s pair of aces Thursday. A FIRST-INNING run also was enough for Latta in the opener.
The Indians rode the pitching of Trent Latta and Nathan Whitcomb — who combined allowed only one runner to advance to second base — to a 3-0 and 8-0 sweep.
The victories keep Iola’s record perfect at 8-0 on the young season. Iola returns to action Tuesday at home against Coffeyville on the Allen Community College diamond. First pitch for the doubleheader is at 6 p.m.
Thursday’s picturesque evening had the added flare of a rare, two-run sacrifice fly as part of Iola’s offense.
That occurred in the second inning of game 2, after four straight batters reached base on three walks and Whitcomb’s single. Cole Morrison drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk. Levi Ashmore followed with a long drive that Fort Scott’s Jake Bradbury caught at the base of the fence in center field before stumbling to the turf.
Whitcomb scored easily from third. Drew Faulhaber, who was on second, never hesitated rounding third and slid across home plate before the ball arrived. The blast put Iola up 4-0, and effectively erased Fort Scott’s hopes for a split.
It turns out the unique play wasn’t needed, thanks to Whitcomb’s gem.
He faced only one batter over the minimum in his five-inning, eight-strikeout complete game. Whitcomb gave up a one-out single to Zach Denton in the second, and nothing else.
Derrick Weir’s first-inning single drove in Latta for Iola’s first run.
Faulhaber, Cole Morrison, Jacob Rhoads and Levi Ashmore led off the bottom of the fourth with four straight singles to push the lead to 6-0. Mason Coons followed with a single before Weir capped the scoring with a two-run double.
Weir led the Indian offense with a single and double. Ashmore, Latta, Coons, Braden Larson, Whitcomb, Faulhaber, Morrison and Rhoads all had a single.
Ashmore’s leadoff double led to Coons’ RBI ground ball. A pair of Fort Scott errors sandwiched around Latta’s single led to another run in the third inning, to put the Indians up 2-0.
Eric Heffern and Ashmore drilled back-to-back doubles in the fifth for Iola’s third run.
That was more than enough for Latta, who allowed only three hits, none after the fourth inning. Fort Scott’s best scoring opportunity came in the top of the seventh, courtesy of a fielding error and a two-out walk that put runners on first and second.
But Latta struck out Carter Young on a 3-2 fastball to end the game.
Latta struck out seven with one walk.
In addition to Ashmore’s two doubles, Derrick Weir smacked a pair of singles to lead the Indian offense. Jarred Latta added a double, as did Heffern. Trent Latta and Aaron Barclay had singles.
Fort Scott wilts before Iola’s pitching
