Saints Finish Weekend 3-1; Defeat Whitecaps in Final Game

JUSTIN, Texas – The Seward County baseball team (4-1) ended the weekend on a positive note, beating Galveston College 4-2 in the final of a four-game series.  The Saints finished the series going 3-1 against the Whitecaps.

Freshman Tanner King (1-0) picked up the win, giving up just one earned run in five innings pitched.  Ryan Thomas got his first save of the year, pitching in the final four innings in relief of King.  The two pitches combined for seven strikeouts, three walks and gave up eight hits.

Following a one-two-three inning by the Saints, the Whitecaps jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a Davis Jenks single to left field.  Two straight singles to start the inning, followed by a hit by pitch, loaded the bases for Jenks.  Though Bobby Henley scored on the single, a laser by left fielder Spencer Sackett caught Zach Holzhuter attempting to reach home.

Scoring had to wait until the top of the fifth inning when Braxton Allen hit a three-run double to center field, making the score 3-1.  Trent Powell and Cole Bergdall both reached on singles, while Austin Tidwell forced an error by the third basemen to set up a bases-loaded situation for Allen.  Trying to stretch his double into a triple, Allen got thrown out at third base.

Galveston answered in the bottom of the fifth, with the leadoff batter reaching on an error and advancing to second base.  A fly-out to center field pushed the runner to third base before a sacrifice fly allowed the runner to score, to bring the game to 3-2.

A couple of scoreless innings kept the score the same, until Jose Caraballo grounded into a fielder's choice to bring home the fourth run for the Saints in the top of the 8th.  Following a leadoff pop-out to center field, Brendan Madsen walked and Cayde ward singled to center field, advancing Madsen to third base.  With runners on the corners, Caraballo brought home Madsen to make the score 4-2.

There appeared to be a threat in the bottom of the 9^th after a two-out single to right field put runners at first and second for the Whitecaps.  Thomas got out of the situation, with a three-out strikeout on the next batter to end the game.

Allen led the Saints with three RBI, while Caraballo finished with one.  The Saints combined for just four hits but made the most of them in the low-scoring affair.

Seward will have a five-day break before returning to Brent Gould Field to take on Northeastern Junior College on Saturday (Feb. 10) and Sunday (Feb. 11). Both days will start at 1:00 p.m. and consist of double-headers.