BALDWIN — The 3A Iola Mustangs received a much-needed boost in confidence after splitting a doubleheader with the 4A Baldwin Bulldogs during Friday’s detour from the Pioneer League.
After taking the opening contest 8-2, the Mustangs fell 7-6 in the finale on a seventh inning, walk-off line-drive.
Senior pitcher Tre Wilson picked up the win while striking out seven batters over four innings. Wilson held the Bulldogs scoreless on one hit while allowing three walks before handing over mound duties to freshman reliever Broden Emerson.
Emerson held his own through three innings with a strikeout, allowing a pair of runs in the sixth inning before closing out the seventh by forcing a pair of flyouts and a groundout.
Iola’s run production came from a smattering of Mustangs.
An RBI double by junior outfielder Jase Herrmann put Iola on the scoreboard, then junior third baseman Austin Crooks extended Iola’s lead with another RBI double to drive in Herrmann. An RBI single by junior catcher Kale Pratt capped off the opening frame with Iola leading 3-0.
Junior first baseman Roy Gordon had two RBIs while successful in 2 of 3 at-bats. 
The Mustangs picked up another three runs in the third inning off an RBI single from senior outfielder Jakolby Hill, who later reached off an RBI single from senior shortstop Nick Bauer, followed by Pratt coming home on an errant pitch.
A pair of Gordon RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings all but sealed the victory aside from a two-run nibble by the Bulldogs in the sixth inning.
After easily fending off Baldwin’s late rally in the opener, Iola could not withstand a late surge from the Bulldogs in the finale.
Sophomore outfielder Reed Clift put Iola on the scoreboard in the opening frame after a botched pick-off attempt, then another Baldwin error on the infield cost them another run in the second inning.
The Bulldogs gathered themselves, scoring five unanswered runs to take a 6-2 lead into the sixth inning.
Iola capitalized on another error as Pratt and Gordon reached home on the same sixth-inning mishap.
In the seventh, a Herrman homer tied the contest 6-6. However, Iola’s infield error allowed the Bulldogs to get a runner on base, then the Mustangs walked the next runner to move him into scoring position and set up the walk-off line-drive.
Crooks, the finale’s starter, took the loss with four strikeouts over five innings, six runs on five hits and a walk. Bauer came on in relief in the fifth, posting a pair of strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings and one run off two hits. Herrmann accounted for both of the Mustangs RBIs. Iola’s remaining four runs came on the five errors allowed by Baldwin.
Following Friday’s doubleheader, the Mustangs remain an even .500 at 3-3. They remain winless in the Pioneer League following last Thursday’s sweep in Burlington but look to remedy that while hosting Prairie View Tuesday.
