Ryker Curry was once again dominant on the mound, Iola High’s opportunistic offense took advantage when runners got on base, and the Mustangs withstood another late Chanute charge.
Sound familiar?
Iola’s 3-2 victory Friday was eerily similar to their season-opening 5-3 win at Chanute one week prior.
This time, Curry’s pitching was even more dominant. The Iola senior, who has signed to pitch collegiately at Pittsburg State University, carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, while allowing a pair of unearned runs on two hits with 10 strikeouts.
“It felt good,” Curry said. “I try not to let anything get to me.”
That steely demeanor is critical, Iola head coach Ryan Latta said.
“We’re grateful to have somebody like that, who takes the ball and attacks and attacks,” Latta said. “He doesn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve, and doesn’t let anything get to him.”
Curry was able to end the game after Chanute hit its only two singles of the contest in the top of the seventh, both of which were compounded by Iola misplays in the field leading to errors, and Chanute’s second run.
But Curry knuckled down, striking out the final batter of the game with the tying run on second.
Meanwhile, Iola’s offense wasn’t nearly as explosive as it was in a doubleheader sweep earlier in the week at Burlington, but was effective when it needed to be.
Jarrett Herrmann’s leadoff walk in the first turned into the game’s first run after he stole second, moved to third on Brandon McKarnin’s single, and scored on Curry’s sacrifice fly to left.
Herrmann then led off the third with a double, advanced to third on a dropped third strike, and scored on McKarnin’s sac fly.
But like it did one week earlier, Chanute responded late, taking advantage of some Mustang miscues to get back into the game.
A walk, wild pitch and ground ball put a Blue Comet runner on third, where he scored on a passed ball with two outs to make it 2-1 in the top of the sixth.
Iola answered in the bottom of the inning. Cooper Riley reached on a fielder’s choice after Landon Weide smacked a one-out single.
