Saints Clinch Series Win Over Northeastern

The Seward County Saints split their Sunday double header with the Northeastern Plainsmen at Brent Gould Field to secure their first series win of the 2016 season.

In game one of their double header Sunday, the Saints wasted no time in getting on the board against the Plainsmen, scoring twice in the 1st inning, one on an NJC throwing error and the second on an RBI single from Logan Nethercot to jump in front 2-0. Seward added another run in the 2nd, on an RBI groundout by Errett Edwards and just like that the Saints were out to a 3-0 lead. Northeastern answered back in the top half of the 3rd, getting a pair of RBI singles to cut the Saints lead to one at 3-2. Seward couldn’t muster anything through the middle innings, but they didn’t need it as starter Jakob Hernandez bared down, working a 1-2-3 4th and then struck out the side in the 5th to keep it a 3-2 Saints lead to the 6th. Hernandez remained in the game in the 6th, getting a pair of strikeouts while stranding the tying run at second base to end the inning, but Seward was unable to add any insurance runs in the bottom half of the frame and it remained a 3-2 game into the 7th and final inning. The Saints went to their bullpen in the 7th and lefty Dylan Paul provided the relief that Seward was looking for, working a 1-2-3 frame to close out the Plainsmen in a 3-2 Seward win.

Seward outhit Northeastern 7 to 6 in the win, getting hits from seven different players in the contest. Hernandez earned his second straight win, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs in 6 innings of action. Paul earned the save with a clean 7th.

SEWARD COUNTY/NORTHEASTERN GAME THREE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/bsb/2015-16/boxscores/20160214_yl6r.xml>

In the series finale with their backs to the wall trying to avoid the sweep, Northeastern flipped the script on the Saints in game four. The Plainsmen scored two runs each in the 1st and 2nd innings to quickly jump on top of the Saints 4-0. Seward answered with a run in the 3rd, but Northeastern came right back with another tally in the top of the 4th to push their lead back to four at 5-1. Seward cut their deficit in half with two runs in the bottom of the 4th but gave those two back plus two more in the top of the 5th as Northeastern took control of the game at 9-3. Seward reliever West Reddell shut the Plainsmen down the rest of the way, but the Saints offense could muster only two more runs, both coming on a double from Chad Kennedy as they eventually fell 9-5.

The game was lopsided on the scoreboard and the stat sheet after the game as Northeastern outhit the Saints 11-5 in the win while Seward committed 3 errors and the Plainsmen played things cleanly defensively. Kennedy led Seward with a 2 for 2, 2 RBI effort off the bench in the loss while Reddell went 4 2/3 scoreless out of the Seward bullpen.

SEWARD COUNTY/NORTHEASTERN GAME FOUR BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/bsb/2015-16/boxscores/20160214_49dg.xml>

The split moves Seward to 5-4 overall on the season while Northeastern opens their 2016 campaign at 1-3.

Next up for the Saints is their annual trip to Odessa and Midland, Texas where they will take on the Wranglers in a double header on Saturday and the Chaps in a Sunday twinbill in the Lone Star State.

Roy Allen