Historic Day for Ashley and Harrison as Seward Sweeps Pratt

PRATT, Kan. – The Seward County softball team (27-15, 14-2) picked up two more Jayhawk Conference wins on Sunday, sweeping the Pratt Beavers as Monique Ashley tied the Seward County record for most career wins after picking up two more against the Beavers. Ashley started in game one with the Lady Saints winning 15-4, while coming in for relief in game two as the Lady Saints rallied for a 14-6 victory.

GAME ONE RECAP

Ashley (19-4) had yet another stellar performance inside the circle for Seward, pitching a complete game, while striking out 13 batters. The Beavers earned a conference-high four runs on her off of a season-high 11 hits.

The Lady Saints used the long ball to get a win in game one with four players going deep. Jullian Atteberry went yard twice, while Sydney Epp, Sage Harrison and Raelyn Sanchez each connected on a deep ball of their own. Seward finished with 15 runs off of 13 hits. Sanchez led the Lady Saints with four RBI, while Atteberry and Corinna Porras each added three.

Seward got the scoring going with a lead off home run by Harrison in the top of the 2nd. Following a double by Madeline Owen, an error by Pratt’s first baseman allowed Owen to score to make it 2-0.

Pratt tied the game in the bottom of the 3rd with a two-out, two RBI double to left field.

The Lady Saints went back to work in the 4th inning, retaking the lead. With runners on first and second, a double by Porras scored the first run before Miranda Nester hit a sac fly to left field to bring the score to 4-2.

The Beavers used two one-run innings to tie the game at four before the Lady Saints blew it open. The first run came in the bottom of the 4th with a two-out single that made it’s way through the right side. In the bottom of the 5th with runners on first and second, a single to left field tied the game.

Once again, the Lady Saints had an answer for the trying run, this time putting the game out of reach with two monster innings. A single and error to start the 6th put Porras in a position to hit an RBI single up the middle. With two runners still on, Sanchez connected for her first home run of the season before Atteberry followed up with a solo home run of her own to make it 9-4.

Epp led off the top of the 7th with a solo home run. Paige St. Pierre pushed two more across the plate with a double to left field to make it 12-4. Sanchez earned her team-leading fourth RBI of the game by reaching on an error by the third baseman before Atteberry hit her second bomb of the game to bring the score to 15-4.

GAME TWO RECAP

Corrina Porras started in game two, pitching three innings. She gave up six runs off seven hits while striking out two batters. Ashley came in for relief, picking up the win after the Lady Saints used a nine-run 7th inning to rally from a one run deficit in the final inning of play.

Harrision knocked crushed two balls out of the park en route to a six RBI day. The two home runs give her 28 career home runs, good for second all-time in Lady Saints history. Owen also hit a home run, finishing second on the team with four RBI.

An RBI single by Harrison in the top of the 1st gave the Lady Saints the lead to start the game. Atteberry singled to left in the top of the 2nd to score the second run of the day for the Lady Saints, but the Beavers used a two-run 2nd inning to tie the game, coming off a home run and an RBI double.

Harrison’s first home run came in the top of the 3rd, giving Seward a short lived 3-2 lead before the Beavers erupted for four runs. Pratt loaded the bases from a walk, single and hit-by-pitch before connecting on a double to center to score two runs. A ground out and single followed up the double to score the final two runs and give Pratt a 6-3 lead heading into the second half of the game.

After a scoreless 4th inning, Owen and Porras cut into the deficit with back-to-back sacrifice infield hits to make it a one score game.

Still down one run in the final inning, the Lady Saints needed to rally to pick up the win. Epp led off the inning with a triple before Harrison walked to put runners at the corners. Owen promptly emptied the bases with a go-ahead three-run home run.

Seward still had work to do in the inning though. St. Pierre added another insurance run with a single to left field before Kaitlin Ammermann hit an RBI, reaching on a fielder’s choice. A walk loaded the bases for Harrison, who crushed a grand slam to put her into 2nd on the career home run list and push the game to 14-6.

Seward will host Dodge City on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at Lady Saints Field for a Jayhawk Conference double header.

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Ian Applegate