CHANUTE — Iola High’s Mustangs suffered their first loss of the young 2012 baseball season Monday at the hands of archrivals Chanute High’s Blue Comets
Grant McMillan’s walk-off grand slam propelled the Comets to an 8-6 win over the Mustangs in the first game of the Southeast Kansas League doubleheader. The Mustangs quickly got back in the win column with a 20-5 run-ruled win in five innings.
With the split, the Mustangs are 5-1 in SEK play and overall. They play at home next Tuesday against Independence in league action.
The Mustangs had rallied to take a 6-4 lead with three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh of the first game Monday night. A Corey Taylor sacrifice fly pushed in one run in the sixth for Iola then Devon Conner’s triple plated two runs.
In the seventh, Levi Ashmore and Jerrik Sigg drew walks and Drew Walden connected for a double.
Sigg started the game on the mound for Iola, goint 4 2/3 innings and charged with four runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out seven. Mason Coons pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing three hits and striking out one.
Ashmore retired the first Chanute batter of the seventh inning, working with a 6-4 lead. The Comets loaded the bases on a double and two singles. McMillan’s blast ended the game.
Walden had a single and a double for Iola. Conner tripled and Taylor doubled. Hitting a single each were Ashmore, Sigg, Coons and Jarred Latta.
The Mustangs busted loose for five runs in the top of the first inning of the second game featuring a two-run home run by Sigg. Chanute tied the game at 5-5 by the end of two frames.
Iola broke open the game with a six-run third then piled it on. The Mustangs proceeded to score five more runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth while keeping the Comets scoreless for three innings.
Jarred Latta was the winning pitcher. He threw four innings and allowed five runs on 11 hits and struck out one. Walden threw a 1-2-3 fifth, striking out the side.
Clint Heffern was 4-for-5 in the game for Iola with four base hits. Sigg added a single to his home run. Coons delivered three singles and Ashmore had two base hits.
Braden Larson and Derrick Weir each connected for two doubles. Conner had a single and a double. J. Latta singled.
