LIBERAL, Kan. – For the first time in two years The Seward County Saints (27-26, 13-17) have swept The Hutchinson Blue Dragons (32-19, 17-13) at home 8-2 in game one and 13-10 in game two. The Saints also recognized their 11 sophomores before the game for their final series at Brent Gould Field.
GAME ONE RECAP
Tanner King (7-3) started on the mound for the Seward County baseball team and pitched the entire game receiving the win. He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out six.
In the first inning the Saints got their offense started with Spencer Sackett hitting a solo homer to left center.
Top of the fourth and The Blue Dragons got their offense rolling with back to back doubles by Bobby Morgensen and Garrett Stephens each with a single RBI making it a 2-1 game.
The Saints answered back with Jose Caraballo doubled to left field with an RBI, Cole Bergdall advancing to third and scoring Cayde Ward making it a tie game heading into the fifth inning.
Seward County ended the game in the fifth inning, dominating for six runs. Joe Kuhn started the rally with a two run dinger scoring himself and Sackett. Following him was Bergdall with a single and a RBI scoring Ward and advancing Cruz Shope. Benny Ayala then strikes out swinging for out two. And then Caraballo singles to center field and scores both Bergdall and Shope making it a 7-2 game.
Final run for the Saints was hit by Brendan Madsen to center field. Caraballo then scores on an error by center fielder Brock Schaffer, bringing the game to its final score 8-2 Saints.
GAME TWO RECAP
Cole Evans (7-2) started game two and lasted 5.2 innings. He surrendered five runs on six hits and struck out six and walked zero. Jordan Pepper and West Reddell entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief. Pepper recorded the last eight outs to earn the save for Seward County Saints.
Ward was in the zone on, tallying four hits and leading Seward to a 13-10 win over Hutchinson. Ward doubled in the third, doubled in the fourth, singled in the sixth, and singled in the seventh.
The Saints got on the board in the first inning when Dylan Paul homered on a 2-1 count, scoring two runs.
Seward lights up in the third inning with a total of 6 runs scored to bring them to a 8-0 lead early on. Sackett starts the scoring by racing home on a wild pitch to score. He is followed by Ward with a double and scoring Kuhn. Shope then singles and advances Ward and then Bergdall come up and doubles and scores both Shope and Ward. Ending the inning on a high note was Ayala with a deep two run home run over the center field wall.
Hutch tries to answer back in the fourth with Morgensen hitting a solo home run, but that is the only run the Blue Dragons will score in the inning.
Sackett added to the home run rally with a solo run extending the lead 9-1. Later in the inning Ward doubled and scored Paul making it 10-1 going into the 5th.
Hutchinson had a run of their own in the sixth inning where they scored a total of four runs. With two outs already, Riley Metzger reached first on an error by Caraballo that allowed Wyatt Divis to score. Then Ryan Moritz doubled and scored two more for the Blue Dragons. Following him was B Schaffer with a single RBI to end their scoring run and making it a 10-5 game.
Ward continues to stay hot on offense with another hit and single RBI scoring Paul in the sixth inning. Hutch then continues their hot streak with another 3 run inning where Morgensen with a ground out, but still scoring Logan Sartori, Scott Wolverton doubled and Zach Baxley singled for an RBI brining the game to 11-8.
Saints, Ward yet again continues to be a threat on offense with another timely single, with two outs already, he hits a two RBI scoring single to bring home Sackett and Madsen to advance their lead.
In the last inning the Blue Dragons try to come back, but are unable to get ahead only scoring two runs bringing the score to the final 13-10.
Dylan Nedved took the loss for Hutchinson. He lasted three innings, allowing eight hits and eight runs while striking out four.
The four game series will continue tomorrow at Hutchinson starting at 1:00 pm for the final series of regular season before the Region VI First Round Playoffs begin in May.