Iola’s Senior American Legion squad had little trouble at the plate or in the field Friday, in a 9-1 whitewash over the Kansas Curve.
The Indians scored two runs in the first and four in the second to take control.
Kansas Curve, based out of Wichita, was unable to do much offensively against Iola’s pitching foursome of Korbin Cloud, Brandon McKarnin, Gavin Jones and Logan Page. The quartet combined to allow only two hits.
Cloud worked around a leadoff error and a two-out walk and single in the top of the first to strand the bases loaded before Post 15 got to work in the bottom half. Walks to Cloud and Blake Ellis set the table for Rogan Weir’s run-scoring double. Tre Wilson added an RBI grounder for a quick 2-0 lead.
Kyler Isbell and Cole Mathes set up a four-run second with singles. Avery Blaufuss was hit by a pitch to lead the bases. Brody Gunderman hit a run-scoring fielder’s choice, Mathes scored on a passed ball, and Ellis and Weir both had RBI singles, making it 6-0.
A bases-loaded walk provided Kansas Curve’s only run of the game in the top of the fourth, answered by Isbell’s run-scoring single in the fifth. McKarnin followed with a sacrifice fly, and Blafuss drove in the ninth and final run one batter later with a single.
Weir hit a single and double to lead the offense. Isbell and Grady Dougherty both had a pair of singles. Ellis, Wilson, Mathes and Blaufuss also had singles.
Iola (5-2) hosts Burlington Tuesday evening.
Junior Legion squad drops pair
GARNETT — Offense was at a premium Friday for Iola’s Jr. American Legion squad as the Indians dropped a pair of tough losses at Garnett.
The Indians were limited to three hits in a 4-0 setback in the opener. Garnett’s Muddogs then rallied from a 4-0 deficit to eke out a 5-4 win in the nightcap.
Easton Weseloh hit a two-out triple in the first for Iola and a leadoff double in the top of the fourth in Game 1, but was stranded both times, courtesy of the pitching of Garnett’s Brylan Sommer. He struck out 10.
Weseloh got the starting nod on the mound for Post 15, and allowed five hits over three innings with a pair of strikeouts. Tyler Lord pitched three shutout innings of relief, allowing two hits with two strikeouts.
Kale Pratt had Iola’s other hit, a seventh-inning single.
Things were looking better in the nightcap. Lord walked, stole second and scored on Pratt’s RBI single.
