High School Baseball: Mustangs 15, Blue Streaks 0; Mustangs 12, Blue Streak 1
Iola Highs Mustangs arent tired of winning. Not even close.
The 11-1 Iola baseball team has won 11 straight and doesnt seem ready to stop any time soon.
However, while the Mustangs are happy to have the wins like their 15-0 and 12-1 sweep of Neodesha at their temporary home of Allen County Community College on Thursday, theyre tired of blowing out bad teams.
The Mustangs will soon change that with match-ups against 13-1 Wellsville and 8-3 Burlington looming next week. For now, the Mustangs will have to be pleased with the wins theyve already racked up.
On Tuesday, head coach Mark Percy wasnt as pleased as he wouldve liked despite Iolas sweep. The Mustangs didnt hit well and they werent seeing as many pitches during their at-bats as they should.
Thursday, things were better. Despite the Neodeshas pitching arms being much slower than the Mustangs were used to, Iola brought in 10 hits in game one and eight in game two with 14 combined walks between the two games.
I think we did improve despite the fact that we were way out in front of their pitchers, Percy said. But weve got to adjust. If a guy throws slow, youve got to let the ball get there and have a good at-bat. But overall it was a pretty good day.
Pitching and defense were really good again.
Iola looked to senior Isaac Vink in game one and he was on it, allowing just one hit in the game and striking out seven. Vink also led the team offensively in the first game, grabbing three hits in the shortened game while driving in three runs.
Sophomore Calvin Delich and juniors Derek Bycroft and Blake Ash-more each put up two hits.
In game two, senior Ethan Tavarez was still recovering from a strain in his throwing arm which left starting duties to junior Kane Rogers once again. He got his second win of the season in the five-inning game, allowing a run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Rogers started to get worn down near the end of his start so, in the fourth, the ball was handed to Delich, who in his first varsity pitching performance of his career, allowed just one run and a walk in two innings while striking out four of the nine batters he faced.
Hes really come on and gotten a lot better, Percy said of Delich. Ive wanted to get him some work in case we need to bring somebody in who throws a little different, but we just havent got the chance until today.
Delich also recorded a team-high two hits and an RBI in the game.
What happens next week will most likely decide who takes home the Pioneer League crown. Wellsville already swept Burlington, leaving the Eagles and Iola to battle it out. If the Mustangs can get a sweep like they did last season, it will go a long way to putting them in drivers seat as the regular season winds down.
A lot of it will be confidence, Percy said. Which we have right now while weve been winning, but in those big games they cant be worrying if they arent playing as well. Theyll have to stay focused. I like where were at and they dont quit if they are behind a little bit, which is huge.
