BURLINGTON The Mustangs ran the gambit from high to low on Tuesday but still managed to start off the 2019 season undefeated after sweeping at Burlington 8-0 and 9-4.
Their highest came in game one.
Senior Derek Bycroft picked up right where he left off last season. The 2018 4A-II Pitcher of the Year mowed down Burlington all game long.
The senior threw 8.2 perfect innings before letting what wouldve been the final batter of the game end both the perfect game and no-hitter bid with a double. Still, a one hit, no walk and nine strikeout-line isnt something to turn your nose up at.
In hindsight, I wish we wouldnt have called another curveball, head coach Mark Percy said. But at the same time, he didnt locate it to where it needed to be either. But either way, he was still great. We originally were going to keep him under 60 so we could use him on Friday but he had a no-hitter going and we didnt want to pull him. Especially in the season opener, you cant hardly take him out.
Offensively, Iola was able to get a run early in both games despite scoring 17 total runs, the consistency at the plate just wasnt to their liking.
Our guys werent happy with the way they swung the bat, Percy said. Which I get but the way I see it, we hit some really good balls but we were inconsistent and we had a lot of pop-ups and fly balls. We cant play like that.
Game two started very similarly to game one. Junior Cal Leonard got the start and had zero trouble through four hitless innings.
But in the fifth, something tripped Leonard up and before anything could be done about it, four Burlington runs crossed cutting Iolas lead 6-4.
The junior was pulled with an out left to get in the fifth and sophomore Nathan Louk came in cold to try and stop the bleeding. After a shaky start, Louk did just that, allowing no hits, no walks and striking out three in his final 2.1 innings.
He had to come in cold and I dont normally like doing that but we didnt really have a choice, Percy said. I really just wanted to get out of that inning so we could warm someone up. Louk came into the game and beaned the first two guys because he was cold.
The Mustangs piled on three more runs in the top of sixth to close out the game.
Junior centerfielder Calvin Delich had three hits on the night, two of which came in game two.
The wins mark the first time in the past several years that Iola has started the season undefeated.
Last year we screwed up in our opener and lost on an error to Chanute, Percy said. Two years ago we came up to Burlington and split. So Ill definitely take these two wins. We have a lot to work on and we have a lot of things we needed to do better. Id obviously rather win than lose but we need to play better than that.
The Mustangs will keep their season-opening road stand going on Friday when they travel to face rival Chanute, one of two teams that beat the Mustangs during their state championship season.
