Isabella built a large lead Friday but allowed Verbena back in the baseball game before putting it away in six innings, 18-8.

Verbena struck first in the top of the first inning when a Kelly Dorsett double scored leadoff hitter Bay Lucas.

Isabella answered with three runs in their half of the first inning. Two came on a Hunter Cleckley home run that dinged off the right field foul pole.

The Mustangs (2-0) scored four runs in the second and five in the fourth for a 12-2 lead and seemed to have the game in hand. In fact, a scoreless Verbena fifth would have given Isabella a mercy rule win.

Instead, six consecutive Verbena batters walked with one out, and Kelly Lucas’ two-run single made it 12-8.

But the hosts posted two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to win it early after all.

Allen Edwards’ two-run single was the final blow.

Edwards was also the winning pitcher, while Dorsett suffered the loss.

Edwards and Cleckley terrorized Verbena. Edwards went 4-for-5 with two triples, one double, four RBI and three runs scored.

Cleckley was 2-for-2 with three walks, a triple, a home run, two RBI and three runs scored.

Isabella accounted for 10 extra-base hits in all.