Saints drop doubleheader to Cougars, 7-6 and 8-2

GREAT BEND, Kan. – The Seward County Community College baseball team dropped a doubleheader to Barton Community College, 7-6 and 8-2, on Sunday. The Saints, who are 16-16 overall, are sixth in the Jayhawk West at 8-8.

Seward hosts Clarendon College for a nine-inning, non-conference game at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Brent Gould Field.

GAME ONE

The Saints rallied after getting behind early only to fall a run short in the opening game loss.

Seward found itself a 6-0 hole after two innings and could not quite dig out of it. Ryan Giberson struggled from the get go, allowing two runs in the first inning and four more in the second. After giving up a two-run single in the first, Giberson struck out the first Barton batters to start the second inning and seemed to get back on track, but then the wheels fell off. The next three batters walked, a run scored on a hit by pitch and then the bases were cleared with a double.   

The Saints battled back with three runs in the third on a run-scoring single by Benny Ayala and Cayde Ward's two-run single to cut the deficit to 6-3. Barton added another run in the fifth to open a 7-3 margin.

Seward had one last chance in the ninth. After loading the bases with none out, AJ Folds doubled in a pair of runs to cut the lead to 7-5 and Ward drove in another run with a ground out. But with a runner on third and two outs, the Saints failed to get the tying run across.

Giberson (3-3) took the loss, lasting only two innings, allowing six runs on four hits, striking out three, walking five and hitting a batter. Chandler Poell pitched well in relief of Giberson, gave up one run on one hit, struck out four and walked two over four innings.

GAME TWO

Early miscues cost Seward and the bats went silent as it could not recover in the nightcap loss.

Things looked good early for the Saints when Benny Ayala belted his team-leading sixth homer of year to score Cayde Ward and give Seward a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

But the advantage was fleeting as the Saints gave it right back it in the bottom of the inning. After a single and an error allowed the first two Barton players to reach base, starter Braeden Gould got the next two batters out. But the Saints could not get out unscathed, a fielding error allowed a run to score and two-run double gave Barton a 3-2 lead. That would be all the offense the Cougars would need as the Saints were blanked the rest of the way.

Barton scored two more in the second and added three runs over the seventh and eighth innings for the 8-2 margin.

Owen Martin had two hits and Cruz Shope, Ben Tsui, Ward and Ayala each had a hit to account for the six Seward hits.

Gould (0-4) took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, on seven hits, striking out two, walking two and hitting a batter over 5 2/3 innings. Ryan Thomas relieved Gould, giving up an unearned run and striking out a batter over 1 1/3 innings. AJ Folds finished up with two runs, one earned on three hits and struck out one in an inning of work.