Blue Dragons Sweep Saints in Season Finale

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Seward County baseball team (27-28, 13-19 KJCCC) ended the season getting swept by the Hutchinson Blue Dragons, losing the first game off a walk off 6-5 before dropping game two 6-2.

GAME ONE RECAP

Ryan Thomas started on the mound in game one, pitching four innings.  He struck out five batters, while giving up five runs off seven hits.  Braeden Gould(2-1) came out of the bullpen to pick 3.2 innings, striking out four batters, but giving up the game winning run.

Seward finished with four hits in the game with three coming off home runs.  Dylan Paul hit two dingers, while Joe Kuhn hit the other.

The Saints started off hot, crushing two home runs in the first inning. Brendan Madsen led off with a walk before Paul hit his first homer of the day over the left field wall to make it 2-0.  Joe Kuhn followed with, taking the second pitch and sending it to left field to push the Seward lead to three.

The scoring stopped until the bottom of the fourth when the Blue Dragons took a one run lead. The first five batters reached base off three singles, a double and a triple to make the score 4-3. The Saints ended the inning with a double play and a line out.

Seward retook the lead in the top of the fifth with Paul’s second two-run home run.  Paul drove in Sackett, who reached on a walk to make it 5-4.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Dragons tied the game with a first pitch, leadoff home run.

With no team able to take the lead before the end of the seventh, the game headed to extra innings.  It only took one inning for Hutchinson to win.  A single and two walks loaded the bases for the Blue Dragons before an error by third basemen Benny Ayala allowed the game winning run to score, giving Hutchinson the win 6-5.

GAME TWO RECAP

Dylan Paul (0-1) started his first game of the season in the second game.  He pitched five innings, striking out eight batters along the way.  He gave up four runs off seven hits before Jacob Nielsencame in out of the bullpen.  Nielsen recorded just two outs, giving up two runs off three hits before Brooks Williamsfinished the game.

Seward finished with just six hits.  Paul led the team with two hits, while Madsen, Sackett, Cayde Ward and Cruz Shopeeach coming away with one hit.  Shope finished with the only RBI of the game.

The Saints started the scoring in the top of the second.  Ward led off the inning with a single and Kuhn followed with a walk to put runners at first and second.  Shope grounded out to second base, knocking in Ward in the process.

The Blue Dragons tied the game in the bottom of the second with a one out solo home run. They took the lead two innings later with a two-run home run to make it 3-1.

Seward got one back in the top of the sixth.  Sackett singled before Paul advanced him to third with a double.  On an 0-1 count, Sackett scored on a passed ball to make it 3-2.

Hutchinson opened up the bottom of the sixth with a first pitch solo home. After two ground outs, two singles and a double scored two more runs to bring the game to 6-2.

The Saints finish the regular season in seventh place in the Jayhawk West.  They will travel to Fort Scott to take on the Greyhounds on Friday for the first round of the Region VI Tournament.

Game 1 audio:

Game 2 audio: