Saints split doubleheader with Grizzlies, split series

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Seward County Community College baseball team spilt a doubleheader with Butler Community College, winning the opener, 9-3, but dropping the nightcap, 8-4, on Sunday at Brent Gould Field. The Saints, who split the four-game series with the Grizzlies, are 6-6 in conference play and 14-13 overall. Seward hosts Lamar Community College for a single, nine-inning contest at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Brent Gould Field.

GAME ONE

The Saints took advantage of opportunities, jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in the Game One victory.

After Butler took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Seward answered back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Cruz Shope led off the inning for the Saints with a single and AJ Folds followed by reaching first on error. After a Cayde Ward walk, Benny Ayala drove in a run with a hit by pitch. One out later, Owen Martin reached on another error and Folds scored. Joe Kuhn brought home the third run of the inning with a bases-loaded walk.

Seward extended its lead to 5-1 with a KP Werner RBI single in the second and a Folds RBI single in the third. Butler scored twice in the fourth, but Seward came back and scored two in the fourth and finished the scoring with two runs in the sixth.

Ryan Giberson (3-2) pitched well enough to win, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits, struck out five and walked four over four innings. Ryan Thomas posted his second save of the season, tossing three scoreless innings, giving up three hits, striking out four, walking one and hitting a batter.

Folds went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Jose Caraballo, Shope and Werner each added a pair of hits for the Saints.

GAME TWO

Seward jumped out to another early lead, but could not hold on and fell in the second game.

The Saints took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-double by Benny Ayala and a two-run double by Owen Martin. After the Grizzlies cut the deficit to one with two runs in the second inning, the Saints got a run back on a Martin RBI single in the third to make 4-2.

Butler took the lead in the fourth with four runs and added a pair of insurance runs to make it 8-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Seward threatened in the ninth with the bases loaded and none out, but a shallow flyball, an infield popup and a strikeout ended the game.

AJ Folds (1-1) in his first start of season, gave up six runs, two earned, on seven hits, struck out five and walked one over four innings in taking the loss. Chandler Poell relieved Folds, allowed two runs, none earned, on three hits, struck out three and walked one over 4 2/3 innings. Braden Gould finished the game with a third of an inning.

KP Werner, Cayde Ward and Martin each had two hits for the Saints.