In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb; Saints Forced to Settle For Split

The Seward County Saints might want to consider changing things up in two years when they return to Cavalier Field in Dodge City as Sunday and Monday a disturbing trend continued for the guys in green against the Conquistadors.  For the third consecutive trip to Dodge City, Seward excelled on day one of their series with the Conqs, winning both games by scores of 11-0 and 10-5, and fell flat on day two of the series, losing 7-2 and 15-14, making them 0-6 in their last six games on day two of their series in Dodge with the home team. 

It was all Seward County early in game one of the series as the Saints wasted no time in jumping all over Dodge in the 1^st inning, getting RBI doubles from Jordan Leinweber and Kevin Connolly followed by an RBI single from Connor Smith and a Dodge City error to score another run to take a 5-0 lead before the Conquistadors even got a chance to hit. 

The Saints added two more runs in the 2^nd inning as Jake Fuller singled to start the frame and Bryson Allen launched a two run home run over the center field wall to put Seward on top 7-0. 

It was more than enough for Seward starter JB Olson who was dialed in once again for the Saints at the top of their rotation.  Olson cruised through the Dodge lineup in the 2^nd and 3^rd innings to keep the Saints in front 7-0 and Seward added another run in the 4^th as Brent Williams doubled home Allen who walked to start the inning to make it 8-0. 

Seward pushed their lead to 11-0 in the top half of the 5^th inning as Fuller and Allen had back to back RBI singles and Williams hit his second sacrifice fly of the day to put the Saints in control. 

With the run rule staring them in the face, Dodge City managed just a pair of harmless singles off of Olson in the bottom of the 5^th and Seward's freshman ace stranded both runners at innings end to preserve his shutout bid and to give the Saints a quick 11-0 run rule win in the opener. 

The Saints pounded out 13 hits in the win including 3 hit games from both Fuller and Allen at the top of the order.  Allen had a big game for Seward, finishing a perfect 3 for 3 with a double, a home run, 3 RBI's, and 3 runs scored, missing the cycle by just a triple.  Olson was smooth once again for the Saints, earning his third win of the season, tossing 5 shutout innings, walking just 1 and striking out a pair. 

SEWARD COUNTY/DODGE CITY GAME ONE BOX SCORE

After being blanked in game one of the series by Olson, Dodge City didn't waste any time getting things going in game two of the double dip, getting a three run home run from Connor Koepp in the 1^st inning to take an early 3-0 lead on the Saints. 

The score remained 3-0 into the 4^th when Allen walked with one out and Williams got into a 1-0 pitch for a two run home run to cut the Saints deficit to 3-2.  Three pitches later Leinweber connected on a solo shot to make it back to back home runs for the Saints to tie the game at 3.  The Saints loaded the bases after the back to back shots, but a strikeout and a groundout ended their threat and it remained tied 3-3 after 3 ½. 

A leadoff walk and two out triple for Dodge gave them the lead back in the 4^th and once again Seward left ducks on the pond in their next at bats, stranding two runners at innings end to keep the Conqs in front 4-3. 

Dodge added to their lead with a one out double and a passed ball on the Saints in the 5^th to go in front 5-3 and for the third straight inning, Seward stranded two or more runners in their half of the inning to remain behind Dodge City 5-3. 

Seward reliever Keenan Hall worked a quick 1-2-3 inning for Seward in the 6^th, picking up a pair of strikeouts in the process and the Saints offense finally woke up as the teams went to the 7^th. 

Allen reached on an error to start the Saints 7^th and Williams singled behind him to put two on with no outs.  A perfectly executed double steal moved both runners into scoring position and a one out single from Connolly brought Allen home to make it 5-4.  Two pitches later pinch hitter Connor Smith unloaded on a ball down the line for a double to score both Williams and Connolly to put the Saints in front 6-5.  Seward wasn't done there.  Mason Marshall ripped a double of his own to score Smith to make it 7-5 and later in the inning Fuller, Allen, and Williams all had RBI hits to push the Saints lead to 10-5 after a seven run inning. 

With the run support he needed, Hall dialed it in from there.  The sophomore righty didn't allow a hit to Dodge through the final three innings, getting a strikeout and a groundout to end things in the 9^th to give the Saints a 10-5 win. 

Despite the slow start, the Saint outhit Dodge 11-5 in the win.  Williams was the offensive star for Seward, going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI's and 2 runs scored, like Allen in the first game, missing the cycle by just a triple.  Hall dazzled in 4 2/3 innings of work to earn the win.  He didn't allow a hit or a run to Dodge out of the Seward bullpen, walking a pair and striking out 6 Conq hitters. 

SEWARD COUNTY/DODGE CITY GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Things started well for Seward in game three of the series on Monday in Dodge as Connolly ripped a solo home run with one out in the 2^nd to put the Saints up 1-0 early on and Brandon Rix drove home Seward's second run of the inning to put them in front 2-0 later in the inning. 

Dodge came back swinging in the 3^rd inning though, blasting three home runs in the frame against Saints starter Grant Glaze to turn the tides on Seward to take a 5-2 lead. 

The Conqs added to their lead after a Seward error in the 4^th to go up 6-2 on a two out double from shortstop Hayden Houska. 

Seward looked like they were in business once again in the top half of the 5^th as Fuller singled and Allen doubled to put two on for the meat of the Saints order, but a fly out ended the threat and kept Dodge in front 6-2. 

The Saints caught another tough break in the 5^th as a dropped third strike turned into a Dodge City run to put them up 7-2 and Seward never threatened again, striking out four times over the final two innings as the Conquistadors took game three of the series 7-2. 

The Saints finished with just 6 hits in the loss, 2 of those coming off the bat of Connolly who finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.  Derrick Valenzuela gave the Saints a shot out of the bullpen, going 3 innings and allowing just 2 hits and 1 earned run while Glaze was stuck with the loss, giving up 5 earned in just 3 innings of work. 

SEWARD COUNTY/DODGE CITY GAME THREE BOX SCORE

The series finale was about as wild as it comes in juco baseball.  Seward opened the top half of the 1^st scoring four times on sac flies from Connolly and Thompson as well as RBI singles from Leinweber and Marshall to take an early 4-0 lead. 

That lead shrunk quickly though as two Seward errors and a three run Dodge City home run drew the Conqs back to within one at 4-3 in the bottom half of the inning. 

Singles from Hudson Bilodeau, Fuller, and Williams in the top half of the Seward 2^nd gave the Saints a 5-3 lead and later in the inning Connolly's second sac fly of the game put the Saints up 6-3. 

Dodge fought right back though.  The Conqs got a one out double to score two to get to within one and just two pitches later a two run home run had Dodge City in front 7-6. 

Then it was the Saints turn to swing the sticks and that they did.  Back to back sac flies from Bilodeau and Fuller tied and put the Saints ahead 8-7 and a two run home run from Allen, his second of the weekend gave the Saints a 10-7 cushion. 

Both teams had traffic in their next at bats but neither was able to push a run across as the score remained 10-7 in favor of Seward into the bottom of the 4^th. 

A leadoff double and a one out walk brought the tying run to the plate for the Conqs and a double to the wall scored both runners to make it 10-9 and just one pitch later a two run shot from catcher Jerry Lacayo gave Dodge City the lead back just like that 11-10. 

Four Dodge City singles and a Seward County error to extend the inning turned into three more runs for the Conqs in the bottom of the 5^th to give them their largest lead of the game at 14-10. 

After early fireworks, both teams cooled down through the middle innings and the score remained 14-10 in favor of Dodge into the 8^th. 

A 1-2-3 top half of the 8^th  inning for Seward allowed Dodge City to add an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame on a back to back two out double and triple to make it 15-10. 

Little would they know at the time, but the Conqs extra tally in the 8^th would prove huge in the end. 

A one out single from Fuller and a triple behind that from Allen scored a run to make it 15-11.  Williams walked and Connolly singled to score Allen to make it 15-12.  A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and a sac fly off the bat of the Saints pinch hitter Smith brought Williams home to make it 15-13.  Connolly later scored on a wild pitch to draw Seward to within one at 15-14, but a strikeout ended the Saints rally just short as Dodge City closed out a 15-14 win to split the series. 

The game finished with 29 runs, 37 hits, and 8 errors for the two teams.  Dodge City pounded out 20 hits while Seward managed 17 in the loss.  The Saints committed 5 errors leading to 6 unearned runs in the defeat. 

For the second time in the series Allen flirted with the cycle for the Saints.  Seward's sophomore center fielder finished 3 for 5 with a triple, a home run, 3 RBI's, and 3 runs scored in the loss.  Connolly also finished with 3 hits and 3 RBI's for Seward and Fuller was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored at the top of the Saints order.  In a spot start behind the plate for Seward, freshman Hudson Bilodeau finished with 3 hits as well.  Adam Guay was hit with the loss for Seward, allowing 4 hits and 4 runs in 1 2/3 innings of work in relief. 

SEWARD COUNTY/DODGE CITY GAME FOUR BOX SCORE

Seward moves to 14-10 overall with the split and 5-3 in Jayhawk West action.  Dodge City goes to 13-5 overall and remains tied with Seward in the conference standings at 5-3. 

The Saints will get some much needed rest after a six game in four day stretch, taking the week off before hitting the field once again next weekend against Garden City at Brent Gould Field on Saturday & Sunday with double headers starting both days at 1:00.