PARSONS — Iola High’s Mustangs didn’t let the sting of defeat linger long Tuesday after dropping the first game of their doubleheader, 6-4, to host Parsons.
Rather, Iola erupted for eight runs in the first inning of Game 2 to cruise to a 16-0 victory behind Ryker Curry’s two-hit shutout.
The split puts Iola at 7-4 on the season as the Mustangs return home Thursday for two against Neodesha.
“It just seems like we’re not coming out with a chip on our shoulder like we need to from the get-go,” Iola head coach Ryan Latta said. “We had too many physical and mental errors in the first game. We hit the ball well, for the most part, but we left runners on base.”
The eight-run outburst in Game 2 came with a two-out rally. Nathan Louk singled and scored on an error. Aiden Jones followed with an RBI single to score Dillon Bycroft before TJ Taylor drove in two with a single, and Eli Smith singled to score Taylor, making it 6-0. Nathan Louk’s two-run single capped the scoring.
The fun didn’t stop there. McKarnin doubled to start the second before three straight walks produced another run. Smith and starting pitcher Ryker Curry followed with sacrifice flies before Bradyn Cole smacked a two-run single.
Jarrett Herrmann reached on an error and came around to score on a wild pitch, making it 14-0. Smith drove in Taylor with a single before pinch runner Landon Weide scored the final tally on another Parsons error.
That was more than enough in support of Curry, who struck out six over three innings, while walking one.
Smith and Louk both had two singles, while McKarnin had the only extra-base hit, a double. Cole, Jones and Taylor all had singles.
Taylor and Smith both had three RBIs to lead the way, while Jones, Louk and Cole each drove in two.
“We just had much more energy in the second game,” Latta said. “Guys were cheering from the dugout. We were ready to go from the start.”
IT WAS a decidedly different atmosphere in the opener, when Parsons rallied for three in the fourth to take the lead for good.
After spotting Parsons an early 1-0 lead, Iola bounced back with three in the top of the third. Louk doubled to drive in Curry before scoring on a Viking error. Bycroft then singled to score courtesy runner Dylan Slaven.
But Iola’s hopes to extend the rally ended, leaving the bases loaded in the frame.
Two more runners were stranded in the top of the fourth as well, after Parsons had scored again to make it 3-2.
That left the door open for the Vikings to take the lead with its fourth-inning rally. A walk and an error then pushed Parsons’s lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth.
