Jay Daubenberger
After splitting the first two games of the series less than forty-eight hours ago, the Saints and Conquistadors took the field in Dodge City for the final two games where the two teams once again split on the day as Dodge City grabbed a small 2-1 win in game one of the day while Seward County was able to even the series back up with a 7-4 win to wrap things up against DC3.
Game one started off as a defensive battle as both sides were able to find success with their fielding abilities as they went scoreless through the first couple of innings until the Conqs knocked out a home run in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead in the game. It took all seven innings of game one for the Saints to finally round the bases as Nathan Hopkins was able slug out a double to left field that allowed Seward County to score and tie the game up at 1-1. Dodge City was able to match the Saints success in the final inning as they found a way to add one final run to their total to grab a 2-1 win over Seward County to take the lead in the four-game series.
Cameron Cartwright didn’t wait until the seventh inning to get the Saints on the board in game two as he singled on a line drive in the first to drive Hopkins in for an early run that was followed by a score from Trenton Rowan to go up 2-0 to start the final game of the series. A single by Todd Baffa improved their lead to three as Seward County began to pour it on against the Conqs as back-to-back homers from Keagon Pitton and Mason Gilbert in the fifth grew the Saints lead out to 6-0. Another score from Hopkins off a sacrifice fly from Cartwright made it 7-0 before Dodge City finally scored themselves with a home run of their own to make it 7-1 entering the eighth. It came down to the ninth inning of action as the Conqs tried to fight back with a double that added two more runs to their total before the Saints finally finished off their conference foe 7-4 to end the series in a draw 2-2 through four games.
Seward County remains one game over the .500 mark on the 2024 season with a 14-13 overall record and begin conference action even at 2-2 after their first series in KJCCC play. The Saints will remain on the road as they continue their conference schedule when they face Cloud County next Thursday with game one of the doubleheader beginning at 1:00 PM on 1270 and 92.3.
