Lady Saints Faulter in Key Matchup

In a key Jayhawk West late season matchup that would more less decide where the 2015 Region VI Softball Tournament would be played in two weeks, the Seward County Lady Saints came up on the short end of both sides of a twinbill with the rival Butler Grizzlies in El Dorado as Butler used a six run 3rd to run rule the Lady Saints 9-1 in game one before using a dominating pitching performance in game two to win 4-1 and all but eliminate Seward from contention in the conference race.

The Lady Saints played from behind from the start in game one as Butler got a two run home run in the bottom half of the 1st inning to go ahead early 2-0.

Seward had a chance to answer in the 2nd, putting runners on the corners with two outs, but they were unable to push anything across and remained behind the Grizzlies 2-0.

It remained a 2-0 game into the bottom of the 3rd when the Grizzlies exploded. Butler scored six times in the inning, getting three straight run scoring hits with nobody out in the frame and then a three run home run with two outs to blow the game open 8-0.

The Lady Saints picked up their only run of the game in the 4th as Tiffanie Bolanos singled home Vanessa Oakden, but that is all they would get and remained down 8-1 after 4.

In the 5th the error bug bit Seward for the second time in the game as they dropped a pop up that would have ended the inning and Butler made them pay, ripping a two out double to the gap, scoring a run and in turn, ending the game with the run rule 9-1.

Seward had 5 hits in the loss, getting a 2 for 2 effort from Bolanos who also had the Lady Saints only RBI of the game. Alexa O’Brien took the loss in the circle for Seward, falling to 14-11 on the year as she allowed 8 hits and 8 runs in just 2 2/3 innings pitched.

SEWARD COUNTY/BUTLER GAME ONE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2014-15/boxscores/20150414_y036.xml>

In game two, Butler again jumped ahead early with a 1st inning run, but the Lady Saints answered right back this time, getting a run on a Grizzly error to knot the score at 1 in the 2nd.

Seward pitcher Jaclyn Wagner gave the Lady Saints a chance, tossing back to back scoreless innings in the 2nd and 3rd, but the Seward offense couldn’t break through, stranding a runner at third in the 3rd and couldn’t do anything with a leadoff runner on in the 4th to keep it a 1-1 game.

Butler scored their second run of the game in the bottom of the 4th, using a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt and a one out single up the middle to make it a 2-1 game.

Seward again had a chance to answer but couldn’t in the top half of the 5th, leaving two runners on at innings end and Butler took advantage, scoring twice in the bottom half of the frame to extend their lead to 4-1.

The Lady Saints never threatened again as their final six hitters of the game were retired in order in the 6th and 7th innings and just like that, Seward’s hopes of a chance at a Jayhawk West title slipped right through their fingers in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the rival Grizzlies.

For the second straight game, the Lady Saints managed just 5 hits in the loss with no Seward player having more than 1 hit in the contest. Wagner took the loss, falling to 16-7 on the season as she went the distance allowing 10 hits and 4 runs, all earned for the Lady Saints.

SEWARD COUNTY/BUTLER GAME TWO BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2014-15/boxscores/20150414_ln8a.xml>

The losses all but eliminate Seward from Jayhawk West title contention as they fall to 30-20 overall on the year and 11-7 in West action. Butler takes a commanding lead in the conference race, improving to 29-13 overall and 16-4 in Jayhawk West play.

A scuffling Seward bunch who has now lost six of its last eight will look to get back on track on Friday as they head to Dodge City to take on the Lady Conquistadors in a Jayhawk West twinbill on Boot Hill starting at 2:00.

Roy Allen