CHANUTE — Offensively, Iola High’s Fillies had it going Monday in Southeast Kansas League play against host Chanute High’s Blue Comets.
But the Blue Comets pounded out the hits and took advantage of Iola’s defensive miscues in sweeping the league softball doubleheader. Chanute posted wins of 14-6 and 11-7 over Iola.
“We hit the ball much better in both games. Our offense is coming around quicker than our defense,” said Vince Coons, Fillies’ head coach.
Coons pointed out that the Fillies did not have a strikeout in the first game and only three in the second game. That means the Fillies were hitting the ball and putting it in play.
Chanute had big innings in both games, Coons said the Fillies’ defense had too many errors in those innings to help the Comets’ cause.
With the two losses, the Fillies fall to 2-4 in the SEK and overall. The Blue Comets improved to 3-1 in the league and overall.
Breail Thompson pitched a complete game for the Fillies in the opener. She did not issue a walk but allowed 18 hits.
Iola came back to tie the game at 5-5 by the close of the third inning. The Fillies used a string of singles to plate the go-ahead run, 6-5, in the top of the fifth. Unfortunately, Chanute produced eight runs in its hall of the inning.
Breail Thompson was 4-for-4 for the game with three singles and a double. Hannah Endicott connected for three singles and Lauren Toney had two singles. Holly Schomaker singled and doubled. Libby Shay, Caitlyn Callaway and Hallie Cleaver had a single apiece.
The Fillies built a 6-2 lead after batting in the fifth inning. Another error-filled half inning led to Chanute scoring six times in the fifth and it added three in the sixth.
B. Thompson pitched five innings and was charged with 11 runs on 11 hits and one walk. Mackenzie Weseloh came on in relief, throwing one inning. Each had a strikeout.
Callaway delivered two singles and a double. Toney, Schomaker and Shay had two singles apiece. Cleaver and B. Thompson had a single apiece.
The Fillies’ varsity is idle until next week when Monday Prairie View comes to Iola on Monday in non-league play and Independence comes in on Tuesday in SEK action.
The junior varsity plays at home today against Chanute at 4:30 in Riverside Park then hosts Independence on Thursday.
