COLUMBUS — Iola High’s Mustangs are 2012 Southeast Kansas League baseball tri-champions.
The Mustangs swept a final SEK doubleheader at Columbus Friday. They claimed Iola’s first — and last — SEK baseball championship in its eight years of competition in the sport.
Iola ended up 12-4 in league play along with Independence and Pittsburg. It is the first time in SEK history that there was a three-way tie for the league championship. Also it is the first time that the SEK title went to a team with more than three losses.
Iola leaves the SEK and goes to the Pioneer League next year.
Today, the Mustangs (15-5) focus on another first. They open Kansas Class 4A Regional Baseball Tournament play at Ottawa. The Mustangs play Prairie View High’s Buffalos, a Pioneer League team, at 6 p.m.
“At one time, we were 6-4 and looked as if we were pretty much out of it (the league race),” said Mark Percy, Mustang head coach. “We told the kids that our best baseball was ahead of us and to just play ball the way we’re capable of and anything can happen.”
What happened — the Mustangs swept Parsons to get back on the winning track and on the same evening Pittsburg knocked off Independence twice. Percy said he and assistant coach Sherman Ashmore talked that if Pittsburg could sweep Independence, the Mustangs would be back in the title chase.
Then Mother Nature threw a wrench in the deal. Iola had already had a doubleheader with Columbus washed on April 30 and plans were not to make it up because of no room to make it up.
Last Monday’s final doubleheader with Fort Scott was rained out but they moved it to Tuesday. Independence was still in control and won its final two. Pittsburg won.
Then it came down to the Titans. Columbus picked up two wins Tuesday against Coffeyville but hadn’t played Pittsburg or Iola. The Titans and Purple Dragons had scheduled a doubleheader Thursday.
“We’d been trying to work out a make-up date with Columbus then Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning things fell into place,” Percy said.
The Mustangs rolled to an 8-3 victory in the first game against host Columbus High’s Titans Friday. Percy said the Iola players were a little tight in this game and “we talked bout playing our game in the second game. Our kids wanted the championship and maybe they were tight for that but they really came out strong in the second game.”
Unleashing a 20-hit attack, the Mustangs finished the 2012 SEK season on a 20-1 win over the Titans in five innings.
“Our goal every year has been to win the SEK and we’re proud of these kids. They’ve worked hard and when we went through that rough spot, they kept working. They didn’t give up.”
In the first game, Mason Coons threw five strong innings for the Mustangs and allowed one run on three hits, three walks and two hit batters. Coons struck out six batters.
