BURLINGTON — A six-run third inning propelled Iola’s AA American Legion baseball squad to victory Tuesday.
The Indians cruised from there, winning 9-1 to salvage a split against Burlington, putting Iola at 5-4 on the season.
A diverse cast of characters had a hand in the big rally after Burlington took a quick 1-0 lead.
After Eli Smith reached on an error to start the top of the third, Evan Lucke doubled him to third before Carter Hutton followed with an RBI single to tie the score.
But the tie didn’t last long. Cooper Riley followed on a pitch later with an RBI single to drive home Lucke to give Iola the lead for good. Sam Hull was next with another single to drive in Hutton and Drake DeLaTorre, who had walked.
Another error off the bat of Gavin Page brought home both Riley and Hull for the final runs of the inning.
The fun continued in the top of the fourth, when Hutton smacked an RBI triple and came home to score on DeLaTorre’s RBI grounder.
Trent Jones drove in Hull in the fifth with an RBI ground ball for Iola’s final tally.
That was more than enough for Smith and TJ Taylor, who combined on a three-hitter. Smith allowed a single over three innings with six strikeouts. Taylor scattered two hits with three strikeouts over two scoreless innings of relief.
Hutton led the offense with a single and triple and two RBIs. Lucke doubled, while Hull had a single and two RBIs. Riley and Nathan Louk also singled.
THE OPENER, a 15-6 loss, was effectively decided with Burlington’s nine-run first inning, as 14 batters came to the plate in the frame.
Still, Iola didn’t go down without a fight.
Hutton doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the second before Hull blasted a three-run home run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 9-4.
But Burlington responded with six in the bottom of the third to snuff any hopes for a comeback.
Hutton kept up his offensive onslaught, however, with a single and a run in the fourth. Louk then singled and scored on DeLaTorre’s sacrifice fly for Iola’s final run in the fifth.
Hutton singled and doubled with a pair of runs. Hull drove in three with his home run, while Taylor and Louk also singled with runs scored.
