Rally sparks AA Indians past Ottawa

The Iola American Legion Post 15 AA Indians continued their winning ways, including a dramatic, come-from-behind victory Tuesday to stay undefeated on the season.
A four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning in game two turned a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 win over visiting Ottawa.
The first game was a nail-biter as well. Jarred Latta’s RBI single in the bottom of the fifth broke a 1-1 deadlock in Iola’s 2-1 victory.
The wins put the Indians at 10-0 as they head into a busy weekend.
After traveling to Wellsville tonight for a doubleheader, the Indians will open play at 10 a.m. Friday in the first round of the Allen Community College Red Devil Classic. Iola takes on Louisburg at the ACC baseball diamond.
The Indians return to action at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against an academy team out of Kansas City, then wrap up tournament play at 3 p.m. Sunday against Humboldt’s Babe Ruth League team.

A LEADOFF walk to Drew Faulhaber and one-out error to put Braden Larson on base set up Iola’s decisive rally in the second game. The error allowed Faulhaber to score, cutting Ottawa’s lead to 4-3.
Eric Heffern followed with a single before Levi Ashmore cleared the bases with a two-run triple, putting Iola in front. Trent Latta’s ground ball scored Ashmore with an insurance run.
Reliever Nathan Whitcomb took it from there. He allowed a pair of seventh-inning singles to put the tying run on base, but struck out the final two batters to pick up the save. In two innings of work, he struck out five.
The Indians spotted Ottawa a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, courtesy of three hits and an error.
Iola cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Trent Latta singled, advanced to third  on an error and wild pitch, and scored on a Derrick Weir fielder’s choice.
Ottawa’s Jordan Morton, who played high school sports at Crest, singled and scored in the top of the third to put Ottawa back in front 3-1.
Hits by Jarred Latta and Faulhaber led to a bases-loaded walk to Cole Morrison to close the gap to 3-2 in the fourth before Ottawa scored again on a leadoff triple in the top of the fifth, followed by an RBI ground ball.
Aaron Barclay started for the Indians, giving up seven hits and a walk in five innings of work. He struck out one.
Trent Latta had two singles on offense. Ashmore’s only hit was a triple. Weir, Jarred Latta, Faulhaber and Heffern all had singles.

JARRED LATTA’S leadoff single in the second inning of the first game set up the first Indian run. He advanced on an error and ground ball before Barclay drove him in with a sacrifice fly.
Ottawa pushed across a run in the top of the fifth to tie the score on a single, two walks and a fielder’s choice.
Jarred Latta broke the tie in the bottom of the inning with a run-scoring single to drive in Mason Coons.
Coons picked up the win, allowing three hits in 5  1/3 innings with four walks and five strikeouts. Whitcomb pitched the remaining 1 2/3 innings with no hits or walks and two strikeouts.
The brothers Latta — Jarred and Trent — each had two singles to lead the Indian offense. Ashmore, Coons, Barclay and Tyler Clubine also singled.