Hutch Sweeps Seward at Brent Gould

LIBERAL, Kan. – Poor pitching doomed the Seward County Community College baseball team in a doubleheader loss to Hutchinson Community College, 13-10 and 17-11, on Saturday at Brent Gould Field. The Saints fell to 16-12 in the Jayhawk West and 25-21.
Seward hosts Clarendon at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Brent Gould Field.

GAME ONE
Seward rallied from a seven-run deficit and took the lead, but could not hold it in the game one loss.
Hutchinson stormed out to seven-run lead with a run in the second inning, four in the third and three in the fourth. The Saints scored a run in the third on Cayde Ward’s RBI single and trailed 8-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth before staging a major rally.
Seward battled back on the strength of Benny Ayala’s three-run homer for a seven-run fourth and tying the game at 8-8. The Blue Dragons also did their part to help out the Saints by hitting Braxton Allen with the bases loaded and uncorking a wild pitch to let Allen score. Cruz Shope had a sacrifice fly and AJ Folds added an RBI single to account for the other runs.
The Saints took a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Joe Kuhn doubled and pinch-hitter Owen Martin drove Kuhn home with the go-ahead run.
The lead did not last long as the Blue Dragons scored two runs in the sixth inning and three in the seventh to open a 13-9 advantage. The Saints had one last chance in the seventh when Kuhn tripled home Zane Alexander to cut the lead to 13-10, but the Blue Dragons got the final out to secure the win.
Ryan Thomas (4-2) took the loss in relief, allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits, struck out three and walked none over 2 1/3 innings. Chandler Poell started for the Saints, yielding eight runs, seven earned, on 11 hits, struck out three, walked one and served up three homers in four innings. Cory Didier finished up the game, giving up a run on a hit, walking one in two-thirds of an inning.

GAME TWO
Seward jumped out to an early lead, but pitching faltered again and the Saints fell in extra innings in the nightcap.
After Hutchinson took a 1-0 lead, Seward came back with six runs over the first three innings. The Saints scored three in the first inning, one in the second and two in the third for a 6-1 advantage.
The Blue Dragons cut the deficit in half with a two-run fifth inning, but the Saints came back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to keep the margin at five runs. Hutchinson added three runs in the top of the sixth and Seward scored twice in the bottom of the inning to hold a 10-6 advantage.
The Saints would not be able to hold on to the lead. Seward pitching allowed Hutchinson to come all the way back. The Blue Dragons tied the game at 10-10 with a four-run, eighth inning and put the game away with a seven runs in the 10th. Seward scored a run in the bottom of the inning to finish the scoring at 17-11.
Owen Martin went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Cayde Ward added three hits, including a solo homer, and Cruz Shope and Jose Caraballo each had a pair hits for the Seward offense.
AJ Folds (1-2) took the loss in relief, giving up three runs on five hits, walking one and allowing two homers in 1 2/3 innings. Four Seward relievers combined to allow 14 runs on nine hits, seven walks and four homers over five innings.
Saints starter Braeden Gould had a solid effort, going five innings with three runs, six strikeouts, one walk and yielded a home run in a no decision.

 

Game 1 audio:

 

Game 2 audio, first five innings:

 

Game 2 audio, sixth inning to end: