INDEPENDENCE — Independence (Indee) swept the Spartans 8-7 and 4-3 in a varsity doubleheader Thursday, May 26 at Independence.
Solon opened game one with three runs in the top of the first inning but watched the lead fade as the Mustangs plated two in the bottom of the second. A four-run effort in the third extended Solon’s lead to 7-2, but Indee answered in-kind in the bottom of the third and added one run in the fourth to tie. The Mustangs scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
Logan Gruchow led Solon at the plate with two hits and drove in two runs. Brett White, Kinnick Pusteoska (double), Jacob Timmons, and Tyson Wheeler had one hit each with two RBIs for Wheeler.
Ty Bell took the loss with three innings on the mound. Bell surrendered three hits and two earned runs, walked three, and struck out one. Gehrig Turner pitched three innings giving up six hits and five runs (two earned), walked one, and struck out one. Brick Kabela pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up three hits.
The nightcap followed a similar pattern as the Spartans scored two runs in the top of the first, answered by Indee with one in the bottom of the inning, and one in the third to tie. Solon put up one run in the fourth to retake the lead, however two Mustangs galloped across home plate in the bottom of the seventh for the win.
Blake Timmons knocked two hits with one apiece from White, Gruchow (double), and Michael Pipolo. Gruchow drove in two runs with one RBI from Pipolo. White pitched 3-1/3 innings giving up two hits and two unearned runs, walked one, and struck out five. Timmons pitched two innings giving up three hits and one unearned run with one strikeout while Wheeler worked 1-2/3 innings giving up three hits and one earned run with one strikeout.
Solon dipped to 4-4 while Indee improved to 5-1.