Seward Drills McCook in Sweep

In the past two seasons the McCook Lady Indians have had a hay day with opposing pitching, ranking in the top 25 in the NJCAA in both batting average and home runs. Monday at Lady Saints Field in Liberal the tables were turned on the visitors as Seward County gave McCook a taste of their own medicine, pounding out 16 runs in a double header sweep, taking game one 5-1 and game two 11-0 in a run rule to improve to 17-4 overall on the year.

McCook came out swinging in game one, getting three straight hits including a double and a triple to open the game to take an early 1-0 lead.

Seward struck back in the 2nd as Becky Allen finished off a long at bat with a solo home run to lead off the inning to tie the game at 1.

The Lady Indians threatened again in the 3rd, getting their first two runners of the inning on, but Seward starter Katelyn Craker worked her way out of trouble to keep the score tied 1-1.

The Seward offense responded in the bottom of the inning, using a leadoff single from Felisha Vogelaar and a one out knock from Marissa Chavez to set the table for the middle of the order. With two outs in the inning Pokey Ewell ripped a double over the McCook center fielders head for a double, scoring both baserunners to put the Lady Saints on top 3-1.

The Lady Saints had a chance to extend upon their lead in the 4th, loading the bases with two outs, but Seward left the sacks packed after a groundout ended the frame to keep the score 3-1.

Once again the high powered McCook lineup threatened to get back into the game in the top half of the 5th, putting two on with two out, but once again Craker prevailed, getting a fly out to end the threat to keep Seward in front by two.

A bunt single from Andrea Sitter started the Seward 5th and after Sitter stole second, she came around to score on an RBI single from Becky Allen to give the Lady Saints a 4-1 lead. Seward wasn’t done in the inning as behind Allen’s single, Danielle Orr laced a double to the gap scoring Allen and just like that the Lady Saints had 5-1 advantage.

Craker did the rest for the Lady Saints, working the 6th and 7th innings without allowing a hit to McCook to close the game out, giving Seward the 5-1 win in the opener.

Seward outhit McCook 9 to 6 in the game and got 2 hits each from Allen and Orr in the win. Craker went the distance in the circle for the Lady Saints, earning her 9th win of the season as she allowed 6 hits and 1 run while striking out 3.

SEWARD COUNTY/MCCOOK GAME ONE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2013-14/files/SewardMcCook1.pdf>

The Lady Saints didn’t wait nearly as long to get going in game two of the double header as they took McCook head on in the bottom of the 1st inning, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six runs to open up an early 6-0 lead. Control problems in the circle and poor defense plagued McCook early as four free passes and an Indian error allowed Seward’s first four runs of the game as they took a 4-0 lead. An RBI groundout from Vogelaar made it 5-0 and an RBI single from Marissa Chavez put Seward up 6-0.

Seward added another run in the 2nd as Ewell walked to start the inning and after an Allen single and another McCook walk, the bases were loaded for Tiffanie Bolanos who drove home Ewell with a groundout to make it 7-0.

Lady Saints starter Brittany Hopkins settled in from there, retiring the side in the McCook half of the 3rd and 4th on just nine pitches each to keep Seward in front 7-0.

The gals in green blew it open for good in the bottom of the 4th as Vanessa Oakden drove home two with a single to make it 9-0 and later in the inning a single from Vogelaar and a sac fly from Chavez put Seward in front 11-0.

Hopkins finished things off for the Lady Saints in the top of the 5th, getting a strikeout and a groundout to close the Indians out to wrap up the 11-0 shutout win for Seward.

Hopkins was stellar in the circle for Seward, going the distance, allowing just 3 hits without walking a batter while striking out 2. Eight of nine Seward starters had hits in the win including Sitter and Ewell who had 2 hits each for the Lady Saints. Oakden and Vogelaar each drove in 2 for Seward and four different players scored 2 runs for the Lady Saints.

SEWARD COUNTY/MCCOOK GAME TWO BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2013-14/files/SewardMcCook2.pdf>

Seward improves to 17-4 on the year with the two wins while McCook has their four game win streak snapped as they fall to 10-5 overall on the season.

The Lady Saints will get back into Jayhawk West play to close out the week as they travel to Garden City for a double header Wednesday and host Barton on Friday at Lady Saints Field.

Roy Allen