With tonights games canceled against Ottawa, the A Iola Indians needed to make the most of their doubleheader in Chanute.
Iola ended up garnering a split with scores of a 1-7 loss and an 8-2 win.
In Game 1, Iolas bats were uncharacteristically quiet. In the top-half of the second inning, Bradyn Cole singled on a hard grounder to Chanutes shortstop to get an Indian on base with one out. Tyson Hermreck followed with a walk to put runners on first and second, as Iola tried to create a rally. Next batter, Drake DeLaTorre, grounded into a double play leaving two runners stranded, which told the tale of Game 1 for the Indians. Iola could not find a way to get runners across the plate.
We just couldnt get a hit, head coach Troy Smith said. It has kind of been the story of our season in a lot of ways. Weve had a lot of bases-loaded opportunities, or guys on base, but we cant seem to get a hit when we need one.
After two-and-a-half innings, Chanute made its breakthrough on the scoreline to put Iola in a 0-2 hole. No more noise came from the scoreboard until the Indians attempted to bring themselves back in the game later on.
In the sixth inning, Dillon Bycoft led off with a walk and was replaced by TJ Taylor to pinch run. Eli Smith followed with his second hit of the afternoon to put runners on first and second for Iola. Coles line-drive single to center field loaded the bases for Hermreck, whose sacrifice fly to center field brought home Taylor along with Iolas first run of the evening.
The Indians picked up seven hits over the course of the seven-inning game, more than Chanutes five, but they could not seem to capitalize. The Indians left two more runners stranded in the sixth inning to go into the bottom-half down 1-2.
Ryker Curry was on the mound for Iola in Game 1. Usually on his game, Curry wasnt up to his very best Tuesday night, but still kept the Indians in the game for most of the night. Currys tenure on the mound would last five innings, allowing three runs to go along with five strikeouts and four walks.
Smith came in to relieve Curry in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and no outs. The Indians pitching staff didnt receive much help from its hitting or its defense, Iolas defense accumulated four errors in Game 1. One of those errors came in the sixth inning as Iola had an opportunity for a double play, but the ball squeezed by Cole at third base to add two runs to Chanutes lead.
By the next time Iola was up to bat in the seventh inning, they trailed 1-7. The Indians tried to make some noise but once again stranded base runners and failed to bring home any consolation runs in their final chance at bat.
If you look at their line, they had seven runs off five hits, Smith iterated. We had five walks and at-least three errors. To score seven runs off five hits, you know that you are walking people and not playing defense. We werent doing either, and along with that were not hitting the ball.
Knowing that he needed a split, coach Smith went with his safety-valve in Nathan Louk for Game 2. Following up his no-hitter from Friday evening, Louk went the full five-inning game allowing three hits to go along with eight strikeouts.
Game 2 saw the Indians runs come in bunches. After a scoreless first inning for Iola, trailing by one run, the Indians bats decided to come alive. Smith scored the first Iola run after a wild pitch, and Hermreck followed with a sacrifice-fly to center field to score Cooper Riley and give Iola the lead. Louk picked up his only RBI of the night with a line-drive to centerfield, and Taylor came home after an error from Chanutes right fielder to make the score 4-1 Iola.
Chanute cut the Iola lead in half by picking up one run in the third inning, but Iola added four more in the fifth and final inning. Coles hardly-driven grounder to right field scored Louk and Curry to boost the Indians lead back up to four. Cole made his way home after another error from Chanutes right fielder, and Smith followed with an RBI single to score Dillon Slaven. Heading into Chantutes final chance at the plate, Iola led 8-2.
A ground out, strikeout, and fly out, capped off the final bottom-half as Iola walked away with a Game 2 victory, 8-2.
