Iola bounces back to win Burlington tourney

BURLINGTON — After dropping the first game of tournament play in walk-off fashion Saturday, Iola’s American Legion AA returned the favor to Emporia’s AAA Legion squad in nearly identical fashion one day later.
The Indians won a tournament title in the process.
Iola’s come-from-behind, 4-3 win over Emporia gave the Indians the Burlington Senior SlugFest championship. Iola went 3-1 in tournament play and stand at 20-2 overall.
Sunday’s championship was secured when Derrick Weir’s bases-loaded single scored Levi Ashmore with one out in the bottom of the seventh. The dramatic rally came after Iola made up a 3-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
The win offered a bit of redemption for the Mustangs, who saw a 7-6 lead slip away in the bottom of the sixth and final inning against Emporia in Saturday’s opener.
Emporia’s Ausin Gordon tied the score at 6-6 with an RBI ground out, before Braxton Marshall’s bases-loaded single scored the winning run.
In between the Emporia thrillers, Iola crushed Garnett 20-0 and edged host Burlington 7-6.
Iola 4, Emporia 3
After surrendering two runs in the first inning, Iola’s Trent Latta was a workhorse in the championship game.
He allowed seven hits and five walks, but struck out 12 in his 126-pitch effort.
Emporia’s Nick Nelson had Iola in check through the first 4 1/3 innings, but Aaron Barclay’s one-out double in the bottom of the fifth triggered the tying rally. Tyler Clubine’s double drove in Barclay, and Ashmore singled to cut the deficit to one. Emporia’s center fielder misplayed Ashmore’s single, moving him to third. Mason Coons followed with an RBI single to tie the score.
Neither team scored in the sixth, sending the game into extra innings.
Ashmore singled with one out, and advanced to third on Latta’s follow-up double. Coons walked to load the bases for Weir’s walk-off.
Ashmore went 3-for-4, while Coons and Jarred Latta singled twice. Clubine, Trent Latta and Barclay had doubles. Weir had a single.
Emporia 8, Iola 7
Saturday’s opener was packed with momentum swings. Iola scored in every inning but the sixth, while Emporia scored two runs each in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings.
The Indians scored three in the fifth and one in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead. But Emporia cut the deficit to 7-6 by the end of the fifth, and tacked on the final two runs in the sixth for the win. (The tournament games were six-inning contests).
Nathan Whitcomb got the start, surrendering nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Ashmore was tagged with the loss, allowing two hits in one-third of an inning.
Ashmore scored the Indians’ first run. He led off the game with a double and came around to score on Jarred Latta’s single.
Braden Larson singled with two outs in the second. He advanced to third on an error and scored on Ashmore’s base hit, but Eric Heffern was gunned down at home plate to end the inning with no further damage.
Trent Latta’s lead off walk in the third led to Jarred Latta’s sac fly for Iola’s third run.
Drew Faulhaber doubled to lead off the fifth. Whitcomb followed with a single, pushing him to third. Larson’s RBI double scored Faulhaber. Ashmore singled to drive in Whitcomb, and Coons drew a bases-loaded walk to score Larson, putting the Mustangs in front by three.
Iola 20, Garnett 0
The Indians didn’t let the effects of its opening loss do much to spoil their fun in Saturday’s second game, pouring in 20 runs on only eight hits.
Iola pushed across five in the first, one in the second and two in the third before exploding for 12 in the fourth.
Every Iola player had a run or RBI.
The five first-inning runs were aided by walks and a costly error. Jarred Latta’s RBI single was the only hit of the frame. Clubine drove in a run with a walk, while Faulhaber drove in another on a sacrifice fly. Two others scored on the error.
A walk, wild pitch, error and passed ball allowed Ashmore to score in the second, putting the Indians up 6-0. Walks to Clubine and Faulhaber led to Larson’s two-run double in the third.
That’s when the offense really started clicking.
Singles by Ashmore and Weir were sprinkled in with five other walks, scoring four, before Larson came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Larson worked a full count before his blast pushed Iola on top 16-0. Three more walks in a row loaded the bases for Coons to score two with a double. Weir and Barclay followed with RBI singles.
Larson wound up with a double, home run and six RBIs. Coons had a double. Weir singled twice. Ashmore, Jarred Latta and Barclay followed with singles.
Iola 7, Burlington 6
Iola led 3-1 after two innings to open Sunday’s play before Burlington erupted for four in the top of the third to lead 5-3. The Indians scored one in the third and took the lead for good in the fourth when Coons walked, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on Weir’s RBI single to tie the score at 5-5. A walk to Jarred Latta led to Larson’s RBI single. Faulhaber followed with a single two batters later to score Larson.
Trent Latta singled in the first and scored on a passed ball to put the Indians up 1-0.
Burlington tied the score at 1-1 when Barclay and Faulhaber led off the second with walks. A balk forced Barclay home; Faulhaber scored on a passed ball.
Jarred Latta doubled to lead off the third after Burlington took a two-run lead. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on an error by the Burlington catcher.
Clubine picked up the win in relief, surrendering one hit and one walk in two innings with one strikeout. Faulhaber started, giving up four hits and three walks in three innings. He struck out three.
Weir went 2-for-4, while Jarred Latta had a double. Delivering singles were Trent Latta, and Larson.

THE INDIANS return home for doubleheaders Tuesday against Louisburg and Thursday against Garnett. Both twinbills start at 6 p.m. at the Allen Community College baseball diamond.