HUMBOLDT — Runs were at a premium Saturday as Iola’s AA Legion squad came up against a squad of tough pitchers.
The Post 15 Indians dropped both games of a doubleheader to Kansas Curve, an 18-and-under all-star team out of Wichita that features several college-bound ballplayers.
Iola dropped the opener, 10-2, before falling in a 2-0 pitchers’ duel in the second game.
Kansas Curve took control early in the opener, scoring thrice in the first inning and never looking back.
The lead was 8-0 when Iola plated its first run of the contest in the bottom of the fourth. Gavin Page walked, stole second and scored on an error off the bat of Kaiden Barnett.
The Indians struck again in the bottom of the fifth. Drake DeLaTorre singled, TJ Taylor walked and Ashton Hesse singled to bring home DeLaTorre to start the inning. But hopes for a bigger inning fell short with a line drive double play to end the frame after an Iola runner had been caught trying to steal third.
Trey Sommer, Eli Smith and Taylor shared pitching duties. They combined to strike out six, while allowing 10 hits.
Trent Jones also had a single.
Nathan Louk got the starting nod in the finale, and pitched brilliantly over seven innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five.
But a two-base error to start Kansas Curve turned into a 1-0 deficit with a two-out single. A two-out rally in the fifth extended the lead to 2-0.
The Indians received singles from DeLaTorre with two outs in the first and from Sam Hull with two outs in the second. But in each case, both were stranded at first.
Iola’s final chance came with back-to-back walks to Carter Hutton and DeLaTorre with one out in the bottom of the seventh. But a strikeout and ground-out ended the contest.
The losses drop Iola to 4-3.
