HUMBOLDT — The Iola AA Indians won the Zone 2 American Legion Tournament this weekend by defeating the Garnett Muddogs in the championship game.
The Indians (25-6) knocked down the Winfield Vikings in the opener with a 13-2 offensive romping before they shut down Garnett’s bats in Saturday’s matinee, 5-1.
“It’s exciting to know what we’re capable of and the fact that we haven’t gotten to that point yet and we’re still dominant,” Iola head coach Ethan Tavarez said. “Even back to when I played, that’s what we did. We’d show up knowing we were the top team in the zone and then we just played that way.”
Iola v Winfield Vikings — 13-2 win
In a game that took two days to play due to Friday evening’s storm, Iola toppled the Winfield Vikings, 13-2.
Logan Page provided a quality start on the mound for the Indians, going five strong innings and allowing only two runs on three hits while striking out 10.
Iola took the initial lead in the second inning and added on nine runs in the fifth inning for the win. Brandon McKarnin, Sam Hull, Gavin Page and Rogan Weir each drove in a team-high two runs.
“I just think it’s cool that small towns Iola, Humboldt and Colony can form a baseball team that’s the best in the state,” said senior Indian Trey Sommer. “We now have the chance to prove that statement again.”
Jack White put the Indians on the board in the second when he grounded out to first base, allowing McKarnin to score from third for the 1-0 lead. Weir then singled to the pitcher for the early 2-0 advantage.
Winfield cut into their deficit in the top of the third when Barrett McPherson singled to left field to bring home a run for the 2-1 score. Brandon Johnson then scored on a wild pitch to knot the game at 2-2.
The Indians took the lead again in the bottom of the third when Hull reached on a dropped third strike to plate Kaiden Barnett for the 3-2 lead.
In the fourth, Trevor Church scored on a wild pitch to take a 4-2 lead.
Hull stepped up again in the fifth when he singled to left to bring home McKarnin for the 5-2 advantage. Weir then walked with the bases loaded to go up 6-2. Wilson grounded out to shortstop which allowed Gavin Page to cross home plate for the 7-2 lead.
Iola wasn’t finished in the fifth when White scored on a wild pitch for the 8-2 edge before McKarnin sent a two-run single to right field to go ahead 10-2. Hull singled to third base to plate another run and Gavin Page singled to third as well to score one more for the 13-2 final.
Iola took advantage of Winfield’s poor pitching command, walking 11 times.
