OTTAWA — Pitching is major in a tournament. Iola American Legion Post 15’s Indians had gotten through the zone tournament’s losers bracket march to the championship last week. It took several run-rule games to conserve pitchers’ arms.
But a 10-inning loss in Thursday’s 2011 Kansas American Legion AA Baseball State Tournament winners bracket semifinal, put the Indians in a spot again. They would have to win five straight to reach their goal of a state championship in the tournament at Ottawa.
It wasn’t to be. The Indians used six different pitchers Friday afternoon against Doniphan County and came up short 11-9. The back-to-back losses eliminated Iola from the state tournament.
Iola finished its summer season at 36-14.
The Indians opened Friday’s game with two runs in the bottom of the first innings. With one out, Dalton Smith singled and stole second base followed by a walk issued to Jerrik Sigg. Corey Taylor reached on an error as a run scored then stole second and Ryan Latta drew a walk. Clint Heffern’s fielder’s choice drove in another run.
Unfortunately, Doniphan County came right back to score six runs in the top of the second. Iola battled back to tie the game at 6-6 with a four-run bottom half of the inning.
Austin Knoblock was hit by a pitch and Jarred Latta had fielder’s choice. Levi Ashmore hit a fielder’s choice but there was an error and Knoblock scored. Sigg singled and Taylor delivered a two-run double. Ryan Latta’s single brought in the tying run.
Doniphan County manufactured three runs in the third to regain the lead. Iola got one back on a leadoff solo home run by Mason Coons in the third.
Then Doniphan County’s Derick Nold hit a two-run home run to stake his team to an 11-7 advantage. Doniphan did not score again but was able to keep Iola in check.
The Indians did plate a run in the sixth when Smith walked and Sigg doubled. In the seventh inning, Coons reached first when a third-strike pitch got past the catcher. With one out, Jarred Latta was safe on an error and Ashmore cranked out an RBI double.
Doniphan County intentionally walked Sigg with two gone. Taylor came up with the bases loaded by Doniphan County’s Jared Hawkins struck him out to end the game.
Smith, Coons, Taylor, Ryan Latta, Ashmore and Jarred Latta pitched for Iola. Coons had a single and home run and Sigg had a single and a double. Ashmore and Taylor each had a double. Ryan Latta singled.
THE INDIANS were in the losers bracket because of a heartbreaker of a loss, 7-5 in 10 innings, to Seneca Thursday night in the winners bracket semifinal. Iola rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game by scoring twice in the fifth and once in the seventh.
Seneca scored single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings to build its lead. Iola finally broke out of the handcuffs put on by Seneca’s starting pitcher Tegan Seitz.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ryan Latta connected for his second base hit of the game. With one out, Coons doubled and Ryan Latta scored on a sacrifice by Heffern. Jarred Latta drove in Coons with a single.
Derek Rottinghaus came on in relief of Seitz with two gone in the sixth. He hit Ryan Latta with a pitch but struck out Drew Walden to end the Iola threat.
A Seneca error opened the door for Iola to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Heffern reached safely on the miscue which was followed by a single from Jarred Latta. With two gone, Smith cranked out an RBI single, tying the game.
The teams went into extra innings. Iola mounted a threat in the bottom of the eight after Sigg retired Seneca in order in the top half of the inning.
Ryan Latta singled with one gone against Seneca’s new pitcher Eric Huerter. Walden connected for a single followed by a fielder’s choice by Coons. Heffern’s hit went off an infielder’s glove and Seneca was having trouble getting a handle on the baseball.
Walden tried to score on the play but was thrown out at a close play at home plate. Walden was ejected from the game for his reaction to the call for the third out of the inning. Walden had to sit out at least one game because of the ejection.
Knoblock took over catching duties for Iola in the 3-3 deadlocked game in the ninth.
Two walks and an out put Seneca in scoring mode in the ninth. Ashmore replaced Sigg on the mound and with two outs, Dylan Kramer had a two-run single.
Trailing by two runs, the Indians went to work in the bottom of the ninth but had no hits against E. Huerter and Kyle Haverkamp. Jarred Latta was hit by a pitch and Ashmore hit into a fielder’s choice. Smith reached on an error and Sigg got hit by a pitch.
Haverkamp came on to pitch and gave up an RBI fielder’s choice to Taylor. Ryan Latta had a sacrifice fly to bring in the tying run then Knoblock struck out so the teams played on, tied 5-5.
A one-out walk and a single put Seneca runners at second and third in the 10th. Ethan Ericson came in to pitch and Smith went behind the plate to catch for Iola. Zach Rottinghaus delivered a two-run single to put Seneca up 7-5.
Coons drew a leadoff walk for Iola in its half of the 10th. Seneca got three consecutive ground-outs to end the game.
Ashmore took the loss, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk in one inning of work. He had one strikeout. Sigg worked 8 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, for a no-decision.
Ryan Latta and Jarred Latta each had three singles. Coons doubled. Hitting a single each were Ashmore, Smith, Walden and Heffern.
