ATCHISON — The Iola High softball team’s season ended at the Class 4A Regional championship game against Fort Scott in Atchison on Wednesday.
The Mustangs (6-14) got around Atchison in game one with a couple of big offensive innings in a 14-6 semifinal game victory. Iola then fell to Fort Scott in the championship game, 6-4.
“The win against Atchison was the biggest win we have had since I have coached at Iola,” Iola head coach Chris Weide said. “For a 15 seed to come in and put it on a two seed like that should show the girls how much potential we have as a team next year.”
Atchison — 14-6 win
Atchison went ahead by two runs in the first inning but Iola scored six runs in the third and seven runs in the seventh for a lopsided 14-6 victory.
Iola totaled nine hits, led by Elza Clift and Aysha Houk’s two hits apiece. Harper Desmarteau also drove home a team-high three runs.
“In the third, we found pitches we could handle and hit the ball where it was pitched,” said Weide. “We didn’t try to do too much and just tried to put the ball in play. We kept stressing to stay aggressive and that every run is huge in a playoff game. Those extra runs in the seventh gave us enough breathing room to let Elza battle through some tough situations.”
Kaysin Crusinbery, Kyndal Bycroft and Houk each drove home two runs while Kary Bruner, Clift and Reese Curry each drove in one run. Peyton Weast scored a team-high three runs.
Clift started in the circle for Iola and tossed all seven innings, allowing six runs on four hits with seven strikeouts.
“Elza allowed four hits to the highest scoring team in 4A in the state,” said Weide. “That is how good she can be when she is on and we play well defensively behind her. She battled through some tough situations and grew a ton this year.”
The Mustangs took a 14-2 lead after the top of the seventh inning before Atchison scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh for Iola’s 14-6 win.
Fort Scott — 6-4 loss
The Mustangs went ahead by two runs in the top of the first inning but later squandered their lead in the next few innings in a 6-4 loss.
“It’s hard to see the season end, mainly because we will not get to watch Aysha or Jadyn play again,” said Weide. “We will miss their talent and leadership for sure but the excitement is there already for next season.”
Fort Scott brought three runs across the plate in the second, two more runs in the third and another run in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead heading to the later innings.
