The Iola High softball team was knocked down by an early offensive surge from Independence’s bats in a home loss Friday night.
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the first inning, two more runs in the third inning, one run in the sixth and another run in the seventh.
Iola couldn’t keep up. The Mustangs scored one run in each of the first, fifth and seventh innings.
Mustang Elza Clift pitched all seven innings, allowing seven runs on 13 hits and striking out six.
In the first inning, the Indy runs came from Rylie Reichenberger singling and scoring on a Kaitlyn Felton RBI double before Felton and Lacy Robins scored for the 3-0 lead.
When Clift stepped to the plate in the bottom of the first, she reached base on an error by the third baseman before Kaysin Cruinsbery singled Clift home to make it 3-1.
Indy’s Berea Dill reached on an error and Alex Jones reached on a fielder’s choice before Emma Mecom tripled home both runners for the 5-1 edge in the third inning.
Iola attempted to cut into their deficit in the fifth inning when Aysha Houk tripled and then scored on a Clift RBI single for the 5-2 score. Clift scored the final run in the seventh inning on a Reese Curry RBI single for the final 7-3 deficit.
Reichenberger and Price each scored in the final two innings for Independence for the 7-3 victory over Iola.
The Mustangs collected a total of seven hits, led by Houk and Clift’s two hits apiece.
Iola hosts Santa Fe Trail on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
