Iola’s Legion team loses by one point
By Holly Neumann
Iola’s American Legion baseball team came up on the short end of a 6-5 score to Clintonville July 14.
The Diamond Cats opened the scoring with four runs in the first inning on three hits and two walks, but Iola answered in its half of the inning with a run off of consecutive singles from John Prahl, Cam Gruenwald and Hunter Gruenwald.
Prahl was able to cross the plate in the bottom of the third on a hit from Cam Gruenwald to cut the lead to 4-2.
Clintonville scored another run in the fifth on a two-out single to center field, but Iola came up with three runs on hits by Nate Korb and Cam Gruenwald to tie the game at 5-5.
Iola missed a scoring opportunity in the sixth, as a leadoff single by Seth Korb and Brady Snyder’s single put runners on the corners with no outs. However, Nate Korb later hit a fly ball to right field that ended in a double play. Seth Korb tagged up from third base and was thrown out at home.
Clintonville broke the tie in the top of the seventh on three straight two-out hits.
Kal Fischer singled in the bottom of the seventh for Iola and moved into scoring position on a fielder’s choice hit by Bryce Huettner, but was stranded there as a fly ball to right field ended the game.
Cam Gruenwald and John Prahl led Iola at the plate with three and two hits, respectively.
Seth Korb allowed 10 hits and two walks while striking out six batters to take the loss on the mound.