Phil Lee
LIBERAL, Kan. – The Seward County Community College baseball team was swept by Cloud County Community College, dropping three of four in the series, falling 9-3 in the opener and 14-4 run-rule loss in the nightcap, Saturday at Brent Gould Field.
The Saints, who have lost six of their last eight games, are 2-10 in Jayhawk West and 15-20 overall. Seward opens a four-game set when it hosts Butler at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursday at Brent Gould Field.
GAME ONE
Seward fell behind early and Cloud cruised to the win.
The Thunderbirds struck first and opened a quick 7-0 lead after the top of the fourth. Cloud scored twice in the first inning, three in the third and two in the fourth.
The Saints got the board in the bottom of the fourth on Kotaro Wakui‘s two-run single to cut the deficit to 7-2, but the Thunderbirds answered back with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth and took a 9-2 advantage.
Seward would add a final run in the bottom of the fifth on Blaine Chancy‘s run-scoring single. Chancy went 3-for-3 for the game.
Armani Ysac, the freshman from Ulysses, Kan., pitched well in relief, tossing a one-hitter with one walk over three scoreless innings.
Logan Tice took the loss, giving six runs on nine hits over four innings.
GAME TWO
Seward was hit hard from the start and could not withstand the Cloud offensive attack in the run-rule loss in the second game.
The Thunderbirds scored early and often with four runs in the first inning and two runs in the second to hold a 6-0 margin. The Saints cut the lead in half with three runs in the bottom of the third inning highlighted by run-scoring singles from Blaine Chancy and Brooks Barber. A passed ball plated Emry Cairns to account for the other Seward run.
Cloud did not relent and notched eight runs over the fourth, fifth and six innings to seal the win. Seward’s other run came in the fifth inning on a Chancy RBI double.
Chancy went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Ryan Todd added three hits to pace the Saints.
Seward starter Cross Durham suffered the loss, allowing seven runs, five earned on nine hits, striking out two and walking one over 3 2/3 innings.
