CARBONDALE — Friday’s doubleheader at Santa Fe Trail — which returned nearly its entire starting lineup from last season’s third-place team in the state — gives Iola High head coach Levi Ashmore a good barometer on how high the ceiling is for the Mustangs this spring.
Turns out, it’s pretty darned high.
While the Mustangs could not come back after a controversial call in the opener sparked an early two-run Santa Fe Trail rally, and subsequent 3-1 defeat, Iola rebounded nicely in Game 2.
The Mustangs applied pressure up and down the lineup and withstood a late Santa Fe Trail rally, winning, 5-4.
While disappointed Iola could not come up with both wins, Ashmore said contests like those against the Chargers could be a springboard to a successful postseason run.
“That was my message to the guys,” he said. “We can build on this. We have a tough schedule coming up against some good Class 4A teams.”
Friday’s victory had several contributors, not the least of which was starting pitcher Mac Leonard, who shut down a potent Santa Fe Trail team over seven innings. He struck out four, scattered nine hits and allowed three earned runs.
At the plate, the name of the game was to avoid wasted at-bats, Ashmore noted.
Ladon Weide and Grady Dougherty both walked in the first before a fielding error off the bat of Tre Wilson allowed Weide to score, pushing Iola ahead 1-0.
Leonard worked around a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning, allowing Iola to extend its lead in the second. Lucas Maier opened with a single, Gavin Jones reached base on a dropped third strike, and Nick Bauer’s RBI grounder brought Maier home.
The Chargers knotted the score with two in the fourth, but Weide started a 6-3 double play to help prevent further damage.
Bauer’s RBI single in the fourth gave Iola the lead once again. Weide then brought Bauer around to score on the next pitch with a double, making it 4-2.
Maier singled and scored on Weide’s double in the top of the sixth for Iola’s final run.
Leonard slammed the door after Santa Fe Trail opened the seventh with a double and single, pulling the Chargers to within 5-3. Leonard induced back-to-back ground balls, which drove in a run, but also gave Iola two precious outs. He struck out the next batter looking to end the game.
Weide’s two doubles and two RBIs paced the offense. Wilson, Leonard and Maier all singled twice. Bauer had a single and two RBIs.
