Seward Takes Big Series Over Hutch

One year after being swept in a Jayhawk West series for the first time ever, the Seward County Saints rebounded to win a four game conference set over Jayhawk West leading Hutchinson, hanging on to take the Dragons down 4-3 in game three to clinch the series before Hutch took their frustrations out with a 19-6 run rule win in the finale.

For the third straight game, the Saints jumped on the Dragons right away in the 1st inning, taking advantage of a Hutchinson error that extended the inning before getting RBI knocks from Brandon Rix and Dillon Drury to take a 2-0 lead.

The Dragons cut the Saints lead in half in the 2nd, scoring a run after a Seward balk in the mound to make it a 2-1 game.

The Saints looked like they were en route to another crooked number in the bottom half of the 2nd as they loaded the bases with one out for the middle of their order, but they would leave the pillows full without scoring to keep it a 2-1 game.

Hutchinson took their first lead of the series in the top of the 3rd, scoring twice with two outs to go on top 3-2.

Seward had a chance to tie things back up in the bottom of the frame, but they couldn’t move Chad Kennedy after a leadoff double and Hutch remained in front 3-2.

Saints starter Brent Bezio settled in after that, retiring Hutch on just 10 pitches in the 4th before watching his offense tie the game up on three singles in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-3.

Bezio spun his second straight 1-2-3 inning in the 5th and Seward picked up another tally as Nic Ricigliano punished Hutchinson for another error with a two out single to put the Saints on top 4-3.

On a roll, Bezio finished the Dragons off from there, working around one out baserunners in both the 6th and 7th to seal up the win for the Saints 4-3 to clinch the series win.

Bezio scattered 7 hits in a complete game victory to earn his second straight win on the mound to improve to 2-1 on the year. The Seward offense finished with 10 hits in the victory, with 2 hits and an RBI each from Brent Williams and Ricigliano.
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SEWARD COUNTY/HUTCHINSON GAME THREE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/bsb/2014-15/boxscores/20150315_xtg3.xml>

After thoroughly dominating the Blue Dragons through the first three games of the series, game four would be just a little bit different for the Saints.

Hutchinson jumped in front right off the bat, getting a two run home run in the 1st inning to go in front 2-0.

The Dragons continued to add to their lead in the top half of the 2nd, using four singles to score a pair of runs followed by a three run home run to make it 7-0. They didn’t stop there, as they greeted Saints reliever Nate Sylvester by putting the first four batters he saw on base, scoring three more times to blow the game wide open at 10-0.

Seward put up a four spot in the bottom of the inning while managing just one hit to cut the Hutch lead to 10-4, but the Dragons continued to pummel the Saints bullpen, scoring six more times in the 3rd off of three Seward pitchers to push their lead back to double digits at 16-4.

The Saints picked up single runs in the 3rd and 6th while Hutch added one in the 5th and two more in the 6th to force the run rule to kick in at 19-6.

Seward managed just 5 hits in the lopsided defeat while the Blue Dragons mangled Saints pitching for 19 hits in the contest. Jakob Hernandez was tagged with the loss on the mound for Seward, lasting just 1 2/3 innings while allowing 8 hits and 7 runs. Nate Sylvester and Grant Glaze, the Saints first two pitchers out of the bullpen offered little relief, picking up just one out while allowing 8 runs.

SEWARD COUNTY/HUTCHINSON GAME FOUR BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/bsb/2014-15/boxscores/20150315_a2gk.xml>

The Saints win the series against the Dragons 3-1 to inch closer to .500 on the season at 10-13 while they do get to the .500 mark in Jayhawk West play at 6-6. Hutchinson drops to 13-6 overall and 5-3 in conference action as they lose 3 of 4 on the weekend.

A walking wounded bunch of Saints will try to get through midweek non-conference action against Clarendon Wednesday before getting back into conference play on the road Saturday and Sunday at Pratt.