Saints Softball Splits with Fighting Artichokes
KSCB News - March 18, 2016 6:25 am
The Seward County Lady Saints continued their road trip in Arizona on Wednesday, splitting a pair of one run games with the Scottsdale Fighting Artichockes, winning game one 17-16 in a shootout while being edged 6-5 in game two to move to 12-18 on the year.
In game one it was the Artichokes jumping out to an early lead, blasting a three run home run in their first at bats to grab a 3-0 advantage after one inning of action.
Seward scored a two out run in the top half of the 2nd to make it a 3-1 game, but Scottsdale continued their assault on Lady Saints pitching in their next ups, as their first five hitters of the inning reached and they ended up plating four runs to go in front of Seward 7-1.
RBI doubles from Hannah Clark and Kristyna Garcia in the 3rd brought Seward back to within four at 7-3, but the Artichokes answered with two of their own in the bottom half to push it back to a six run game at 9-3.
A grand slam for Scottsdale put the ‘Chokes up 10 in the 4th at 13-3 and the Lady Saints looked in danger of being run ruled with just six outs left to work with.
Those thoughts changed quickly in the 5th as Venice Batts drove home a pair with a single and Clark scored on a Scottsdale error to cut the Artichoke lead to 13-6. After a walk, Kennedy Brunson singled home Batts to make it 13-7 and back to back RBI singles moments later from Jaidyn Mawhinney and Brittany Corrales had Seward back to within four at 13-10. And they still weren’t done. After a pop out for the second out of the inning, Garcia slammed a three run bomb to left, bringing the Lady Saints all the way back to tie the game at 13. Seward plated their 11th run of the inning when Brunson singled home Batts for the second time in the frame, unbelievably giving the Lady Saints a 14-13 lead at the end of the half inning.
Just when it looked like momentum was on the Lady Saints side, Scottsdale came out swinging again in the bottom of the inning. The Artichokes picked up three hits to begin their half of the 5th, including back to back doubles to score two runs and take the lead back 15-14.
Seward quickly knotted the game at 15 on an RBI single from Corrales in the 6th and Batts drove her home to put the Lady Saints in front once again at 16-15. Scottsdale’s third error of the game allowed another Seward run to score and after 5 ½ it was the Lady Saints 17 and the Fighting Artichokes 15.
Scottsdale got a run back in the bottom of the 6th, but Seward reliever Alexis Cuellar stranded two other baserunners in scoring position to end the inning and keep the Lady Saints up 17-16.
After runs were easier to come by all game than the Arizona sun they were playing under, Seward went down in order in the top half of the 7th and Cuellar got three straight pop ups in the ‘Chokes half of the inning to seal the wild 17-16 come from behind win for the Lady Saints.
Seward banged out 19 hits in the win, their most in nearly a month. The Lady Saints first five hitters all had 2 or more hits in the victory while Brunson finished with a team best 4. Garcia was 3 for 5 with 4 RBI’s and missed hitting for the cycle by just a triple while Corrales was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI’s as well. Cuellar picked up the win in relief for the Lady Saints despite allowing 8 runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work.
SEWARD COUNTY/SCOTTSDALE GAME ONE BOX SCORE<
The Lady Saints jumped on the board first in game two of the twinbill as Garcia singled home Corrales in the top half of the 1st to put Seward ahead 1-0 early on.
Scottsdale answered with a run of their own in the bottom half, getting a leadoff double and one out single to push a run home and make it a 1-1 game.
Things were quiet for a change in the 2nd and in the Seward half of the 3rd before Scottsdale took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the 3rd on a Lady Saint error.
It stayed a 2-1 game into the 5th when Scottsdale put some distance between themselves and the Lady Saints. The ‘Chokes scored four times in the inning, opening up their lead to 6-1.
After pounding out 19 hits for 17 runs in the opener, Seward’s bats remained cold in game two until they were down to their final three outs in the 7th of game two. A pair of singles and a Scottsdale error set the table for Corrales who sent a 2-1 pitch screaming over the wall in left for a grand slam, bringing the Lady Saints back to within one at 6-5. That was as close as Seward got in this one though as a groundout to first ended their rally one run short as Scottsdale picked up the split with the 6-5 win.
The stat sheet was almost even at the end of the game as both teams had 8 hits, each had 2 errors, and each only struck out once in the contest. Corrales and Garcia did all the damage for the Lady Saints as Corrales finished 2 for 4 with a double, a home run, and 4 RBI’s, while Garcia was a perfect 3 for 3 with Seward’s other run driven home. Mawhinney took the loss in the circle, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits, falling to 4-7 on the year.
SEWARD COUNTY/SCOTTSDALE GAME TWO BOX SCORE<
The split moves Seward to 12-18 on the year while Scottsdale is now 8-28.
Seward will wrap up their trip on Thursday when they take on their fourth straight NJCAA Division II opponent in South Mountain.