Mustangs sweep; streak hits 10

Patience was more than a virtue for Iola High Tuesday.
The Mustangs overcame an early 5-1 deficit by taking advantage of six walks and a hit batsman, all in the third inning.
It took only one swing to seal the win.
With the bases loaded — all by walks — Iola’s Derrick Weir tattooed a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence for a grand slam home run, turning an 8-5 lead into a 12-5 advantage.
Iola wobbled a bit coming in, allowing four runs over the past four innings, the Mustangs still had things well in hand in a 14-9 win.
The fun continued in the nightcap of their doubleheader. Iola scored early and often in a 16-1 romp.
The wins keep Iola undefeated as the Mustangs (10-0) prepare to head to Humboldt Friday for the Walter Johnson Baseball Tournament.
Iola will take on Neodesha at about noon at Humboldt’s Walter Johnson Field. Depending on the outcome, Iola will then face either Humboldt or Yates Center.
Iola’s goal against Wellsville starter Shamus Kearney in the opener was to be patient, Mustang coach Mark Percy said.
“We weren’t sure if that strategy was going to work after the first couple of innings, but I think he got tired in the third,” Percy said.
Levi Ashmore started the inning with a walk. Trent Latta reached on an error and Mason Coons’ sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 5-2. Weir followed with an RBI single, Aaron Barclay singled and Tyler Clubine drilled an RBI double.
Kearney walked three of the next four batters — the only exception was a hit batsman — prompting a call to the Eagle bullpen.
Cole Morrison and Eric Heffern were among those receiving walks, pushing across the tying and lead runs. Ashmore, Latta and Coons followed suit, putting Iola up 8-5.
Then came Weir’s blast.
Walks to Clubine and Morrison led to two more Mustang runs, one coming on an RBI ground ball by Ashmore, putting Iola up 14-6.
Wellsville scored once in the fifth and two more in the seventh before reliever Aaron Barclay slammed the door, retiring the final three batters in order.
Ashmore’s leadoff walk and stolen base in the first led to Latta’s RBI single in the bottom of the first for Iola’s first run after Wellsville took an early 3-0 lead.
“They actually outhit us,” Percy said. “The difference was walks.”
Twelve Iola batters walked compared to only seven Mustang hits.
Weir led the attack with three hits, including his grand slam, with five RBIs. Clubine had a double. Latta and Barclay had singles.
Latta picked up the win, giving up seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Barclay gave up four hits and two walks in three innings of relief. He struck out one.

IOLA RESPONDED immediately in the second game after Wellsville took a quick 1-0 lead.
Coons smacked an RBI double, followed two batters later by Barclay’s two-run home run.
Leadoff walks to Jacob Rhoads and Heffern led to two more Iola runs, including Latta’s RBI triple.
Another third-inning avalanche followed.
Walks to Rhoads and Heffern with the bases loaded plated two more runs, pushing the Mustang lead to 7-0. Ashmore drove in two with a double, followed by Latta’s two-run single. Weir’s second home run of the day, a three-run blast, put the Mustangs on top 14-1.
The game was called four batters later on Rhoads’ RBI single because the spread reached 15 runs.
“Mason pitched a great game for us,” Percy said.
Coons gave up three hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
Weir went 2-for-2, including his home run. Barclay went 2-for-3 with a home run. Latta went 2-for-2 with a triple. Coons went 2-for-3 with a double. Cole Morrison had two singles, while Ashmore’s only hit was a double.