OSAWATOMIE — It wasn’t the best way to start post-season play, and Iola’s AA American Legion squad hopes to turn its third loss of the season into a learning experience. IN SUFFERING their first shutout of the season, Iola stranded 11 runners, including twice leaving the bases loaded. IOLA DIDN’T have to wait long to get the bitter taste of defeat out of its mouth. A QUICK START paced the Indians in their opening round win, a 10-0 triumph over Louisburg Saturday morning.
After roaring through Kansas Amateur Baseball Association League play without a regular-season loss, the Post 15 Indians found themselves in an unfamiliar position — on the losing end of a 7-0 game to Fort Scott in the KABA tournament semifinals Sunday morning.
The loss relegated the Indians to the third-place game, where they rebounded to defeat Wellsville 13-5.
The 2-1 tournament mark puts Iola at 34-3 overall. The Indians were a spotless 18-0 in KABA during the regular season.
“Fort Scott outplayed us,” Indians manager Neal Barclay said. “They got good, timely hits and we didn’t. We left a lot of runners on base.”
Meanwhile, a two-out error with the bases empty in the first inning turned into a three-run rally for Fort Scott. Fort Scott added single runs in the second, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Iola smacked seven hits, but went just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Fort Scott’s Mason Knopp got the win. He pitched two scoreless innings with the start. Wyatt Rheel came on in relief with five scoreless innings.
Iola’s Nathan Whitcomb took the loss. He surrendered nine hits and two earned runs with a walk and three strikeouts. Trent Latta pitched two innings of relief, surrendering two hits and two walks with a strikeout.
“A loss is better now than later if it has to happen,” Barclay said. “Hopefully, we learn from it and come ready to play next week.”
Eric Heffern had two singles to lead the Indian offense. Latta had a double, while Levi Ashmore, Mason Coons, Derrick Weir and Drew Faulhaber all singled.
Iola opens zone tournament play at home next Monday. Matchups will be announced later this week.
The Indians returned to the diamond a few hours after the loss to take on Wellsville, and proceeded to score six first-inning runs on six hits. Coons, Jarred Latta, Heffern and Ashmore each had RBI singles during the surge.
Wellsville closed the deficit to 6-4 in the top of the third on Nolan Rush’s three-run home run, before Iola scored four more times in the bottom of the inning to take control. Trent Latta and Jarred Latta both had run-scoring singles. Weir smacked a sacrifice fly.
A Whitcomb walk and Heffern single keyed another two-run rally in the fourth. Whitcomb scored on an error; Heffern on Trent Latta’s ground ball. Jarred Latta singled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to end the game.
Tyler Clubine got the win. He allowed two hits and three walks in three innings.
Aaron Barclay allowed one hit in an inning of relief. Ashmore pitched the final inning, allowing two hits and a walk with a strikeout.
Jarred Latta pounded three hits. Ashmore had a single and double. Trent Latta and Heffern singled twice. Coons, Faulhaber and Whitcomb all had singles.
Ashmore’s leadoff double was followed by Trent Latta’s RBI single to start the five-run outburst. Jarred Latta drove in another run with a double before Braden Larson smacked a two-run single and came around to score on a passed ball.
Trent Latta singled in the second and scored on Jarred Latta’s sac fly, pushing the lead to 6-0. The lead grew to 7-0 when Ashmore doubled with two outs in the third. Ashmore stole third and scored on a passed ball.
The Indians loaded the bases in the fourth on two walks and a hit batter. Clubine’s single drove in two. Ashmore had an RBI single to end the contest.
Coons pitched all four innings for Iola, surrendering three hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Ashmore went 3-for-4 with a double. Trent Latta singled twice. Jarred Latta had a double. Larson, Aaron Barclay and Clubine singled.
Indians suffer a loss, but quickly rebound
