Indians too much for visiting Maddogs

With the outcome scarcely in doubt Thursday, Iola’s AA American Legion squad changed up things a bit in its lineup.
The Post 15 Indians had Levi Ashmore start the first game against visiting Garnett from the mound — pitching submarine style to great effect.
Ashmore fired a one-hitter, striking out seven in an 8-0 win.
A teamwork approach from the mound was nearly as effective in the nightcap. Three Indian pitchers combined on a one-hitter in an 8-1 win.
The victories lifted Iola’s overall record to 24-2. The Indians stand at 14-0 in the Kansas Amateur Baseball Association League.
Iola returns to action Tuesday at home against Chanute before returning to Chanute next weekend for a tournament.

ASHMORE ALLOWED only two base runners in his five innings of work. He hit one batter to lead off the third, then surrendered his only hit with one out in the fifth on a pop-up that landed just beyond the infield.
Meanwhile, he struck out all seven batters in his last three innings.
The submarine pitching wasn’t anything in particular that Ashmore had been working on in practice.
“Just looking for ways to have fun,” he said.
The Indians struck for three in the first, on a one-out single by Trent Latta, a pair of errors, Derrick Weir’s sac fly and Braden Larson’s two-run single.
Three walks, an error and a 45-foot sacrifice fly in the fifth set up another big Iola rally. Jarred Latta’s two-run double was the big blow.
Larson had perhaps the weirdest RBI of the game. His foul pop in front of the Indian dugout was caught by Garnett pitcher Noah Miller. But the catcher also was racing to try for the catch, leaving home plate unguarded.
Weir beat Miller to home for the seventh run. And Aaron Barclay’s follow-up single drove in Jarred Latta to end the game, via the eight-run mercy rule.
Mason Coons stroked two singles, and scored two runs. Jarred Latta had a double, two runs and two RBIs. Larson drove in three runs on a single. Trent Latta singled, as did Barclay. Jacob Rhoads chipped in with a double.

ANOTHER three-run first inning propelled the Indians in game 2. Ashmore, Trent Latta and Coons led off the first with singles. Coons drove in Ashmore with his hit. Latta scored on an error, and Weir had a sacrifice fly for the third run.
Nathan Whitcomb led off the second with a walk. He moved to third on two singles and scored on Trent Latta’s sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 4-0.
Jarred Latta’s leadoff single in the third sparked a four-run outburst. Drew Faulhaber walked, Tyler Clubine was hit by a pitch, and Whitcomb smack a sacrifice fly to score Latta. A wild pitch, a walk to Eric Heffern and Ashmore RBI single capped the rally.
Aaron Barclay started for the Indians and picked up the win, throwing two hitless innings. Faulhaber pitched one hitless inning. Whitcomb followed with two innings of work with five strikeouts, one hit and one unearned run.
Garnett’s only tally came when Tanner Lickteig reached first base after a third-strike passed ball eluded catcher Jacob Rhoads. He made it all the way to third on another passed ball, then scored on Braydon Miller’s RBI ground ball.
Ashmore had three singles to lead the Iola offense in the nightcap. Trent and Jarred Latta, Coons, Larson and Heffern each had singles.
The lineup changes were plentiful in the second game as well. Ashmore played first and third bases for the first time all season. Rhoads’ stint behind the plate was also a first.
Even Weir got into the act. Normally a line-drive hitting left-hander, Weir batted right-handed in his final time to plate in the second game. He grounded out on a sharply hit ball to the shortstop.