WELLSVILLE — Iola’s strong hitting and pitching secured the first game against Wellsville Tuesday. Game two, however, was a heart-breaker with the Mustangs losing 9-8.
Korbin Cloud got the win on the mound and Grady Dougherty and Landon Weide each drove in two runs in a 5-2 victory for Iola in game one. A Jarrett Herrmann two-run home run in game two wasn’t enough run support to propel the Mustangs on top in a 9-8 loss.
“It’s about finding ways to put full games together,” Iola head coach Levi Ashmore said about staying on top. “Not letting pitches go by, not taking innings off and keeping the momentum up. It feels like everyone wants to win a little bit more than we do right now.”
Game one
Wellsville got the first say when Dylan Strenth hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to put Iola in a 1-0 hole. After the home run, Cloud wouldn’t allow another run until Renner Speer scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to make it a 2-0 game.
The Mustangs struck in the top of the fifth inning when Dougherty slammed a solo home run to left field to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
Weide caused more damage at the plate for Wellsville’s pitchers in the sixth when he shot a two-run single to shortstop to take a 3-2 lead.
“We should always be wanting to play our best baseball,” said Ashmore. “We can’t really pick and choose and our goal is to come out and play our best baseball every single day whether we’re playing the Yankees or we’re playing a team in our league who’s not as good.”
“We want to do the things we know that win games,” Ashmore continued. “Making plays, having tough at bats, getting in good counts, hitting the ball hard on a line. Those things take care of everything else.”
Tre Wilson added a run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly to right field for the 4-2 advantage. Dougherty then drove home the final run for the Mustangs on an RBI groundout for the 5-2 win.
Wellsville’s Joseph Stites started on the mound and worked into the sixth inning when he was replaced by Jack Lytle. Mason Lytle closed the seventh inning on the mound for the Eagles.
Game two
A strong first inning got the Mustangs hopes high. Tre Wilson grounded out to score a run. Brandon McKarnin doubled home a run. And Carter Hutton drove home a run on a sacrifice fly for the 3-0 lead.
Wellsville responded with a run on a sacrifice fly. Cloud then singled to left field to score for the Mustangs and make it a 4-1 lead.
Herrmann then unloaded with a right field home run for the 6-1 edge in the second.
