OTTAWA — Iola’s Senior American Legion squad rebounded nicely from a tough defeat Tuesday.
The Indians saw a 3-1 lead dissipate in the fourth inning as host Ottawa plated seven runs to win, 9-5, to open their doubleheader.
Undaunted, Iola struck for six runs in the top of the first in the nightcap and never looked back in a 9-2 romp.
The split gives Iola a 22-5 record as the Indians prepare to wrap up the regular season with a doubleheader Thursday at Chanute.
ROGAN Weir got things started quickly with a leadoff single in Tuesday’s opener. He stole second, moved up to third on an error and scored on a Blake Ellis grounder.
The Arrows tied the score in the bottom of the second before Kyler Isbell and Brody Gunderson drove in runs the hard way. Both were hit by pitches with the bases loaded in the third as Iola moved ahead, 3-1.
But Iola left the bases loaded in the top of the fourth without scoring, opening the door for Ottawa to take the lead. The Arrows scored five times before Iola recorded an out. By the time the dust settled, the Indians were in arrears, 8-3.
Iola left two more runners on base in the sixth, before making things interesting in the seventh and final frame.
Iola loaded the bases, where Ryan Golden walked to plate Trey Sommer. Cole Mathes followed with a sac fly, making it 9-5, but a fly ball and ground-out ended the game.
Weir paced the offense with a pair of singles. Ellis and Sommer added one single each.
Logan Page, Brody Gunderman, Weir and Ryan Golden shared pitching duties. They surrendered a combined six hits with five strikeouts. But Iola pitchers also issued 12 walks.
GAME 2 was much more to Iola’s liking. Weir singled and came around to score on an Ellis single before Brandon McKarnin and Sommer blasted back-to-back home runs for a 4-0 lead. Five straight two-out walks allowed Weir and Ellis to drive in runs as well as the lead swelled to 6-0.
More bases-loaded walks to Isbell and Golden preceded Page’s RBI single. Gunderman tacked on a run-scoring hit, as well.
That was more than enough for Isbell, who struck out six over four innings. He allowed three hits.
McKarnin and Sommer had solo home runs to pace the offense. Weir, Ellis and Page added singles.
