High School Baseball: Mustangs 4, Eagles 2; Mustangs 3, Eagles 2
Iola head coach Mark Percy was elated Tuesday night after the Mustangs series at Wellsville.
It wasnt because his team swept the then-13-1 Eagles, though that helped. It wasnt because the Mustangs had a good pitching performance from their top two arms or that the Iola defense made numerous acrobatic catches, each more important to the game than the last. All of that was gravy.
No, it was the fact the Mustangs found themselves in two grind-it-out dogfights versus a team with comparable talent after plowing their way through seemingly run-rule after run-rule this season that made the Iola coach most pleased.
In my opinion, Wellsvilles good enough to go win a 3A state championship, Percy said. These are the types of games that get you ready for regionals and state. You just have to scratch runs out wherever you can get them. And we battled. Thats what I love about our guys. And as long as were close, we always have a chance. Id rather play games like this every night because it tests you. Youve got to play well or youre not going to win the dang thing.
The Mustangs took game one 4-2 and game two 3-2. The sweep moves them to 13-1 overall. Theyve won 13 straight.
Both games started the exact same way. Iola opened up with two runs in the top of the first and then an inning later, Wellsville responded with two or its own to tie it up.
Iola scored two runs in the top of the fifth in the first game and just one run in the top of the fifth in the second.
After that, though, the Mustangs hung on tight for the final two innings, hoping the strong pitching would continue.
It did.
Junior Derek Bycroft started game one and his line of two two runs (none earned) on two hits and three walks with seven strikeouts only tells some of the story.
Bycroft trucked along from the third through the sixth innings with little trouble until things started to fall apart three outs away from the win. An error sandwiched by two walks loaded the bases to start the inning. The go-ahead run was on first.
Percy made his way out to the mound and instead of plucking his ace in favor of a fresh arm, Percy looked the junior in the eye and told him to finish it.
Two strikeouts and a pop out later, Bycroft did just that.
The pressure was on them to score, Percy said. It wasnt on us. So I told them to quit being down and to get after it and I told Derek that he needed to get those guys right now. And he did.
Bycroft ended the night with 107 pitches which is the most hes had to throw so far this season.
If he didnt strike out that final batter, he wouldve been pulled, anyway, after crossing his limit of 105 pitches.
He competes, Percy said. He wanted to finish that game. I know he was getting tired because we havent had our guys go that deep. So we had to take a chance on him finishing them out, and he just threw harder and found a way.
