PITTSBURG — Iola’s Junior American Legion squad gave fans one last thrill for 2024 this weekend.
The Post 15 Indians, in Pittsburg Friday and Saturday for their Zone Tournament, rallied from a 3-0 deficit to knock off Pittsburg’s Post 64 in walk-off fashion, 4-3.
Easton Weseloh had the game-winning hit, an RBI single to bring home Ruger Boren in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Alas, Iola struggled in its other two games, 11-1 and 9-0 losses to Garnett’s Post 48 Muddogs.
In going 1-2, Iola failed to advance to next weekend’s state tournament in Topeka.
Game 1
Garnett 11, Iola 1
Iola got the early jump, when Weseloh ripped an RBI double to score pinch runner Tre Wilson for a 1-0 lead.
But a caught stealing ended the rally with two runners on base, and Garnett responded with three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.
The Muddogs tacked on three in the third and fourth in the fifth. Weseloh had Iola’s only extra-base hit. Wilson and Ty Shaughnessy added singles.
Reed Clift allowed two hits over two innings with three strikeouts. Wilson pitched two innings with a strikeout. Austin Crooks also pitched a third of an inning.
GAme 2
Iola 4, PIttsburg 3
Weseloh was dominant on the mound in the early going, limiting PIttsburg to one hit over five innings.
But a pair of walks and a passed ball gave PIttsburg a 1-0 lead in the fourth. The Patriots tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to lead, 3-0.
