Iola’s Senior American Legion squad found an easy way to beat the heat Sunday.
The Post 15 Indians cut short both of their games against visiting Ottawa, thanks to the mercy rule, rolling to 8-0 and 12-2 victories.
Iola ended the first game — scheduled for seven innings — in the bottom of the fifth, once the spread reached eight runs. An eight-run third inning in Game 2 ended the contest once the spread reached 10 runs in what was supposed to be a five-inning affair. The games were played at Allen Community College’s fields.
Things got off to a roaring start with Trey Sommer driving in Blake Ellis with a two-out triple in the bottom of the first. Tre Wilson followed with a run-scoring double, making it 2-0.
Grady Dougherty led off the second with a triple and scored on Brandon McKarnin’s single. Rogan Weir followed with a two-run single before Wilson’s RBI single made it 6-0.
After coming up empty on scoring chances in the third and fourth, Iola struck again in the bottom of the fifth. Kyler Isbell singled with one out and moved to third on Dougherty’s double. McKarnin followed with an RBI single and Korbin Cloud ended the game with a run-scoring single.
That was more than enough for McKarnin, who limited Ottawa to two hits over five innings with six strikeouts.
Offensively, Dougherty went 2-for-3 with a double and triple. McKarnin went 3-for-3. Wilson had a single and double. Sommer chipped in with a triple. Cloud, Ellis, Weir and Isbell added singles.
Isbell took the mound in Game 2, pitching all three innings, allowing no earned runs and striking out a pair of batters.
Meanwhile, Cloud, Ellis and Weir started off Iola’s first inning with doubles to push the Indians ahead, 2-1.
Ottawa scored another unearned run in the top of the second to tie the score, but Iola took the lead for good in the bottom half of the second on Dougherty’s two-run blast. Iola loaded the bases from there, but came up empty.
It didn’t matter.
Wilson led off the third with a home run before Dougherty singled in a run and McKarnin smacked an RBI double, making it 7-2.
Cloud followed with a sac fly, Ellis singled home a pair and Wilson drove in a run with a ground ball. Weir stole home on the second half of a double-steal for the 12th and final run.
Dougherty paced the offense with a home run and single to drive in three, while Ellis hit a single and double with three RBIs. Wilson had a home run and two RBIs. Cloud and Weir each had a single and double. McKarnin doubled and Isbell singled.
