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Iola American Legion Post 15’s AA Indians finally played games at home Tuesday. They got past visiting Wellsville in a doubleheader sweep on the Allen Community College field.
The Indians used a seven-run fourth inning to gain the lead in the opener. Wellsville had used a three-run home run in the third to take the lead and was up 5-1 going into Iola’s half of the fourth.
Corey Taylor and Mason Coons had back-to-back doubles to touch off the rally. Eight of Iola’s 12 hits came in the fourth and most of the damage was done with two gone.
When the dust settled, Braden Larson, Levi Ashmore, Clint Heffern and Jerrik Sigg each drove in runs with a hit. Taylor and Coons finished the inning with back-to-back singles.
Wellsville scored twice in the fifth to make it 8-7. Kris Collins singled to open Iola’s fifth, went to second on a wild pitch then scored on a one-out triple by Ashmore.
Ashmore got the pitching win in relief of starter Jarred Latta. Latta went 3 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs on eight hits and four walks. He struck out five.
Ashmore worked 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and one walk plus struck out five. Sigg got the save working a 1-2-3 seventh inning for the Indians.
Taylor finished with two singles and a double. Ashmore hit a double and a triple and Coons had a single and a double. Hitting a single each were Heffern, Sigg, Drew Walden, Larson and Collins.
Wellsville produced a run in the first inning of the second game. The rest of the game Wellsville was held in check by Dalton Smith and the Indians.
Smith allowed just two hits and walked two plus struck out three in Iola’s 2-1 victory. He and the Indian defense worked out of trouble a couple of times in the five-inning contest.
Iola only had three singles in the game — one each by Ashmore, Smith and Larson.
The Indians didn’t score until the fourth inning. Taylor was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch. He stole home for the tying run.
Larson connected for a two-out single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Larson scored the go-ahead run on an error by the Wellsville catcher.
Iola AA improved to 19-2 on the season. The AA Indians play at home again Thursday with Burlington coming to town. First pitch is at 6 p.m. at the ACC field.
