GARNETT — Coming into the season, Iola coach Mark Percy thought he knew what he had with his top two in the rotation, but was waiting to see who would step up behind sophomore Derek Bycroft and senior Ben Cooper.
Through his first two starts this season, Ethan “E.Z.” Tavarez has taken a stranglehold on that third starter’s spot.
“He has thrown the ball really well this year,” Percy said. “And we have to have that.”
The junior was able to carry the Mustangs to a 7-1 victory in game one with a complete-game three hit performance.
“I felt pretty good and trusted my teammates behind me,” Tavarez said.
The Mustang offense was able to break out of its early-season slump behind some terrific production from the bottom of their lineup, notably sophomore Blake Ashmore.
The second baseman went 4-for-4 from the eighth spot in the batting order.
“Blake can hit,” Percy said. “We have no doubt about that, we just had to get him going somehow.”
Tavarez’s brilliance, along with the offensive production, was enough to cruise to the game one victory, but game two would be a much different story for the Mustangs.
Starting pitcher Derek Bycroft, who has a tendency to take an inning to settle into games, had a poor first frame and Anderson County was able to jump out to an early 3-run lead, which they eventually built to 4-0.
“I don’t know if he doesn’t get warmed up like he should or what, but that second game was disappointing,” Percy said. “That is as bad as we have played all year in the field, pitching, timing hitting. I was proud of the kids for battling till the end, but that is unacceptable.
“I’m not pleased at all with that game. I’m not pleased with our effort. I’m pleased with our effort in the sixth and seventh innings, but we have to play better than that.”
The Mustangs were able to attempt a late rally.
They got a run in the fifth inning and then in the sixth they managed to another run, but an unfortunate third strike call on leadoff hitter Calvin Delich ended the Mustangs’ inning with the tying-run in scoring position.
Delich was visibly upset at the call with the ball appearing to sail well above the strike zone and Percy stood up for his talented freshman by arguing the call with the home-plate umpire after the teams had returned to the dugouts.
Another stellar freshman, Cal Leonard, was able to keep the Mustangs within a run by quickly sitting down the Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth and keeping momentum in Iola’s favor.
Bycroft led the seventh inning off by reaching base and eventually the Mustangs were able to load the bases with one out and Leonard coming to the plate.
Leonard handled the big situation like a seasoned veteran and with a 3-1 count appeared to take ball four.
Leonard tossed his bat to the side and began to head to first base with the free pass.
Then the game changed.
The umpire signaled with a very late third strike call and Leonard had to return to the batter’s box.
However, Leonard wasn’t the only runner that had to return to his spot. Junior Isaac Vink had begun to head to second with the apparent walk and Anderson County fired to first base as Vink slid back to the bag.
Vink appear to beat the throw, but was signaled out by the umpire at third base for the inning’s second out.
Again, Percy argued the call, but the damage had been done: The second out was recorded.
“It shouldn’t have come down to that,” Percy said. “We were flat and it just wasn’t a good feel for me from anyone other than Ethan and Blake the whole day and a few good hits in between, but overall, just not a good day. We didn’t come to play.”
A pitch later, Leonard got his walk, but now the bases were loaded with two outs and a one-run deficit instead of being loaded with one-out and a tie game.
The Bulldogs buckled down and recorded the third out on their own to end the game and drop the Mustangs to a 5-3 record heading into Thursday rescheduled home opener against Prairie View.
EZ DOES IT: Tavarez throws gem to beat Bulldogs
