BURLINGTON — After giving up a 2-0 lead, Iola American Legion A Indians tallied one run in the sixth inning to regain the lead over Ottawa Sunday.
The Iola A team was up 3-2 in the championship game of the KABA Junior Legion Preseason Tournament but not out of danger. Grayson Pearish came on in relief of starter Aaron Barclay in the fifth and ran into trouble himself in the seventh.
Ottawa rallied with two gone in the bottom of the seventh. It used two base hits and a walk to load the bases.
With the tying run just 90-feet away, Pearish recorded his fourth strikeout to end the game. The A Indians captured the tournament championship and improved to 5-0 on the summer.
In the title game, Pearish picked up the victory on the mound, going 2 2/3 innings. He allowed no runs on three hits, two walks and one hit batter. Barclay started and went 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks plus striking out three.
In the first inning, Drew Faulhaber tripled and scored on a single by Trent Latta. Faulhaber drew a walk in the fourth and came around to score on a single by Caleb Vanatta.
Ottawa had single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
Iola broke the tie in the sixth inning. Eric Heffern was hit by a pitch and Thealvin Minor was walked. With one out, Ottawa’s pitchers issued walks to Latta and Vanatta forcing in the go-ahead run.
Iola opened the tournament with a resounding 8-0 win over Paola in five innings. Pearish threw a one-hitter, walked two and struck out eight for Iola.
Vanatta was 3-for-3 at the plate with two singles and a triple. Hitting a single each were Latta, Pearish and Heffern.
Iola led 2-0 until the fourth when the Indians took advantage of three walks and two Paola errors to score five times.
In the semifinal round, Iola A downed Wellsville 11-3. Latta was with winning pitcher with Vanatta having one inning of relief work.
Latta allowed two runs on two hits, three walks and one hit batter. He struck out 10 batters. Vanatta gave up one run on two hits and had one strikeout.
Latta connected for a single and a triple and Heffern delivered two singles. Derrick Weir tripled. Hitting a single each were Faulhaber, Kohl Endicott, Vanatta and Barclay.
Iola A faces Ottawa Wednesday at home at Riverside Park. Game time is 6 p.m.
