Iola was either mere inches or a missed call at the plate — depending on who you ask — away from going 2-0 against Independence on Friday night at Riverside Park. Instead, they settled for a 10-9 loss and a 9-4 victory.
“It was big (to get the split),” Iola coach Mark Percy said. “(Independence) is a pretty good team.”
With Iola trailing 10-8 going into the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Isaac Vink led-off the frame with a single. Ethan Scheibmeir followed with a drive to right field that bounced out of the right fielder’s glove and fell with an error being charged on the play and Iola runners ending up at second and third with no one out.
Then the inning completely changed. Senior Coleson Wiggin hit a hard ground ball to second which should have allowed Vink to score and Scheibmeir to advance.
The Independence second baseman, however, didn’t follow script.
Instead, he rifled the ball to home plate getting Vink out as he slid into the plate.
Now the Mustangs had runners at the corners with one out. First baseman Ethan Sigg walked to load the bases.
Ethan Tavarez flew out to center for the second out, but Scheibmeir scored and the deficit was cut to one.
Right fielder Garrett Wade struck out to end the rally and Iola lost 10-9.
In game two, coach Mark Percy juggled his lineup. He had Keanen Badders hit for center fielder Brett Taylor and moved him to the four-spot in the lineup. Tucker Fosha replaced Badders in left field and hit ninth.
“(Badders) is swinging the bat pretty well right now,” Percy said. “We need him bad.”
The new lineup clicked well in the game two win. The Mustangs put up nine runs and cruised to a 9-4 win.
Tavarez shined on the mound for Iola as well. The sophomore replaced Wiggin in the third inning after Wiggin had surrendered a home run after a walk to begin the inning and cut the Iola lead to 5-3.
“We have thrown him in a couple JV games and he’s done a good job so we thought tonight was a good time to get a look at him,” Percy said. “Shoot, to me he’ll be one of them that may come in for a varsity game (in the future).”
Tavarez pitched the next four innings and allowed only one run and struck out three batters.
“It was really pretty good,” Percy said. “It is hard to know what to expect when you are throwing guys that are inexperienced.”
