Tuesday gave every indication it just wasn’t going to be the Mustangs’ night.
After dropping the opener of their twin bill against visiting Anderson County, Iola High’s baseball team found itself trailing 8-1 in the third inning of the nightcap.
But with a patient approach at the plate, and some clutch relief pitching from sophomore Jarrett Herrmann, the Mustangs were able to rebound from there.
A six-run fifth inning gave Iola the lead for good in a 13-9 victory.
That came after Anderson County prevailed, 9-5, in the opener.
“I’m proud of them, to be down like that, and they didn’t give up,” Iola head coach Ryan Latta said. “That’s what we’ve gotta do.”
The comeback likely would not have been possible without Herrmann’s relief effort. He came on with two runners on base and nobody out in the top of the fifth, and the Mustangs trailing 8-7.
Herrmann induced a ground-out to second, before the inning’s key play, a missed bunt attempt by the Bulldogs, allowed the Mustangs to nab the lead runner who was trapped between third and home for the second out.
Anderson County’s Derek Rockers, who was the pitching and hitting star of the opener, then grounded out to end the inning.
“That was a big momentum shift,” Latta noted. “He was able to come in and throw strikes.”
And it was Herrmann’s first time on the mound this season.
“To come in in that situation was big,” Latta said.
Iola didn’t take long to capitalize. Kole Rogers led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, moved to second with a walk to Herrmann and stole third.
An errant throw by Anderson County’s catcher, in an attempt to pick Rogers off third base, instead wound up allowing him to score the equalizer, and putting Herrmann on third.
Dillon Bycroft drove in Herrmann to put the Mustangs on top, 9-8, before Garnett misplayed a fly ball off the bat of Aiden Jones for an error, allowing another run to score.
Dillon Slaven followed with a bases-loaded walk and Rogers’ flare to the outfield barely eluded the Bulldog shortstop, scoring two more.
