Quick starts told the tale Friday as Iola’s Junior American Legion squad hosted the Colony Lancers.
Iola scored two in the first and three in the third and rolled from there in a 9-1 victory in Game 1 of Friday’s twin bill.
Colony responded with a wallop, scoring four in the first and three in the second and third innings of Game 2 in a 10-4 victory.
The Indians were at Olpe Monday evening for two more games, although those contests weren’t complete by press time. The Lancers, meanwhile, will play again July 10 at Fort Scott.
Austin Crooks got the ball rolling in a hurry in Friday’s opener, lining a triple to center field. He came in to score on Kale Pratt’s grounder before Easton Weseloh walked and scored on a passed ball.
Iola pitcher Grady Dougherty kept Colony at arm’s length from there until Crooks started a third-inning rally with a walk. Weseloh singled him to second, and Pratt drove him home with an infield single. Ty Shaughnessy followed with a two-run single, making it 5-0.
Dominic Smith singled to lead off the Lancer fourth inning. He stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on Henry White’s sacrifice fly to center.
Iola loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth with singles by Pratt and Shaugnessy and a walk to Reed Clift. Broderick Peters followed with an RBI single before Clift stole third and scored on a fielding error.
Crooks walked and Weseloh singled to set the stage for Iola’s final two runs. Crooks scored on a wild pitch and Weseloh on a steal of home.
Dougherty was masterful on the mound, limiting Colony to four hits and no earned runs with seven strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Weseloh, Pratt, Shaughnessy and Clift all singled twice, while Crooks had a triple. Peters chipped in with a single.
Smith and Max Disbrow had singles for the Lancers.
Kade Nilges pitched four innings for the Lancers, allowing five hits and striking out five. Smith pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two hits with three strikeouts.
THE LANCERS got the upper hand early in Game 2. Smith and Nilges had one-out singles in the bottom of the first before Drake Weir hit an RBI double. Brittain Davis drove in the second run with a single before Roy Gordon singled in two more for a quick 4-0 lead.
Peters and Franklin Kerr walked to lead off Iola’s second inning. Peters came around to score on a pair of wild pitches.
