HUMBOLDT — If at first you don’t succeed …
Iola’s AA American Legion squad found the second time around much more successful Thursday in taking on a squad from Overbrook Thursday evening.
After being limited to five hits in a 1-0 shutout loss to the Bombers two weeks ago, Iola scored in every inning but the first on Thursday in a 14-4 romp.
“It’s probably the best we’ve played all year on both sides of the ball,” head coach John Taylor said. “We pitched well and hit well.”
The game was evenly matched until Iola erupted in the fifth inning. TJ Taylor, who reached base five times in the win, led off the frame with a single. Singles to Eli Smith and Sam Hull loaded the bases before Taylor and Smith each scored on defensive miscues. Trent Jones then followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Hull for a 7-4 lead.
Trey Sommer was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth. He moved to third on Taylor’s single and scored on an Overbrook error. Smith’s RBI grounder bumped the lead to 9-4.
The floodgates opened in the seventh. Drake DeLaTorre walked, Carter Hutton reached on an error and Nathan Louk singled to reload the bases. Cooper Riley drove in a run with a walk before Sommer cleared the bases with a triple.
Taylor then ended the game by lining a single to center with a 10-run cushion.
The Sommer-Taylor combo also provided all of the pitching Iola needed in the win.
Sommer got the start and pitched into the fifth inning, allowing four hits with eight strikeouts. Taylor came on in relief, pitching the rest of the way without allowing a run or walk, with two strikeouts.
That same duo also was behind Iola’s early offense. Sommer led off the second with a double and Taylor singled before Smith’s RBI grounder put the Indians ahead 1-0. Hutton’s two-out, RBI single made it 2-0.
Overbrook responded with a three-run top of the third to take a 3-2 lead, but Sommer and Taylor both walked and stole a base before an Overbrook error allowed Iola to tie the score.
Louk’s two-out single in the fourth drove in Hutton to put Iola back in front, 4-3, but the Bombers tied it in the top of the fifth on a two-out wild pitch in the fifth to set up Iola’s explosive finish.
Taylor went 4-for-4 with three runs and an RBI. Sommer doubled and tripled with three RBIs and four runs. DeLaTorre, Hutton and Louk all singled twice. Riley and Smith also had singles.
Iola (12-9) is slated to return to action Monday, again at the Humboldt Sports Complex,
