The Iola Hormigas snapped their eight-game losing streak over the weekend with a 12-11 win over the Blackwell Flycatchers Saturday, but fell to the Flycatchers 7-4 Sunday at Satchell Paige Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Iola starter Jesus Audeves picked up the win Saturday while tallying three strikeouts over six innings. Reliever Santiago Rojas came on in the seventh inning for a strikeout and closer Xander Nabors picked up the save with a strikeout in the ninth.
After trading the lead throughout the contest, a six-run seventh inning shifted the momentum before putting the game away in the third with three runs and a nearly flawless effort by Nabors on the mound during the Flycatchers’ final at-bat.
A homer and a sacrifice fly yielded Hormigas outfielder Rames Velasquez a team-leading four RBIs.
Nabors, outfielder Miguel Tejada Jr., and first baseman Jorge Carreo homered while posting a pair of RBIs each.
The Hormigas could not keep their momentum going on Sunday, succumbing to a nasty four-run sixth inning to give Blackwell the win and a 3-1 series victory.
Despite tallying seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings, starter Jacob Slocomb took the loss while allowing five runs on seven hits.
Reliever Matt Dileonardo had three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings on the mound.
Chavez, Carreo, shortstop Oscar Galvez and second baseman Julio Zamora each had an RBI in the effort.
Radar and Velasquez tied for the team lead in hits with two each.
With the loss, the Hormigas’ record fell to 7-22. They are 18 games behind the Garden City Wind (30-4) for the Mountain North League title and nine games behind the North Platte 80s for the second wild card playoff spot with 17 games left in the season.
The Hormigas return to Alumni Field at Allen Community College Tuesday to wrap up a series against the Trinidad Triggers (11-23).
They then head to North Platte for a trio of games with the 80s (16-15) before returning to Kansas City for their final homestand of the season against Blackwell (18-11) on Sunday in Kansas City.
First pitch for Tuesday’s game is 6 p.m.
