High School Baseball: Iola Mustangs and Fillies
Last week, the Pioneer League coaches got together to make their all-league selections for the 2018 baseball and softball season and several Mustangs and Fillies earned first- or second-team honors.
The 23-2 state champion Iola Mustang baseball team earned four all-league selections led by junior pitcher and shortstop Derek Bycroft, who earned first team honors and was the top overall vote-getter in the league.
Bycroft had one of the top ERAs in 4A-II at .734 in 47.2 innings pitched this season. Bycroft finished the year with eight wins, no losses and 63 strikeouts to go along with 28 hits, 18 walks and five earned runs given up.
The junior was also one of the Mustangs top bats, ending the year with a .393 average with 33 hits and 29 RBIs.
Joining Bycroft on the Pioneer League first team was sophomore outfielder Calvin Delich. Delich led the Mustangs with a .507 average on 38 hits and 31 RBIs. He also had the most extra base hits with 10.
Senior pitcher and outfielder Isaac Vink rounded out Iolas first team selections. Vink ended the year with a 1.44 ERA on 34 innings pitched with 37 strikeouts. He allowed 26 hits, 11 walks and seven runs.
He hit with a .400 average, recording 34 hits and 22 RBIs.
Sophomore pitcher and infielder Cal Leonard earned second team honors pitching 34.2 innings with a 1.41 ERA. He allowed 23 hits, five walks and seven runs while striking out 25.
Leonard hit with a .318 average grabbing 27 hits including both of the teams two home runs.
THE FILLIES placed two on the All-League Pioneer Softball team led by first team senior third baseman Chloe Gardner. Gardner ended the year with 25 hits, six RBIs and a .347 average. Gardner also had 55 putouts and a fielding percentage that was around .900.
Junior Nissa Fountain earned second team honors, recording 28 hits and 18 RBIs with a .509 average.
The Fillies will return next season after a 6-15 campaign in 2018 with nearly all of their starters minus Gardner back. The Mustangs lose two seniors (Vink and Ethan Tavarez) off of their state championship team.
