Early Deficit Too Much To Overcome

By Dustin Kass, dustinKass@miconews.com

Jenna Wendt, an Osawatomie senior, gets ready to deliver a pitch for the Trojans in a Class 4A regional playoff game against Iola on Monday. (Photo by Gene Morris)

The Trojans needed a spark on Monday.

Osawatomie found itself in an early hole against Iola during its first-round regional game in Paola, as the Trojans gave up three runs in the first.

The Iola hurler was also controlling the Osawatomie bats, pitching around a one-out double by Brooke Drake in the third.

Iola then struck for three more runs in the fourth.

With his team facing a 6-0 deficit as it came off the field for the bottom of the fourth, Osawatomie coach Ron Maring tried to get his team fired up. He stopped his players on the field and challenged them to pick up their game, and their heads, as the Trojans tried to rally.

“We got four more at-bats,” Maring shouted while looking at his players. “You need to step up and play some ball.”

Maring seemed to be the spark the Trojans needed, as Janzen Maring reached to start the inning. Caitlin Roberts followed with a single to put runners on first and second with no outs.

But the Trojans could not break through, as every hit seemed to find an Iola fielder. Osawatomie was unable to drive the runners in and left the bases loaded to end the inning.

When the offense did get the Trojans on the board in the sixth, they were already down 7-0. Still, Brooke Drake and Jenna Wendt tried to work some senior magic.

Drake drew a one-out walk, and Wendt singled through the infield. The pair then advanced a base each on a wild pitch, and both scored on Maring’s two-run double. Maring later scored to cut the deficit to four runs, but that was as close as Osawatomie would get.

Iola added a run in the sixth for the final 8-3 margin.

Osawatomie finished the year 12-7.