Seward run-rules and rallies past Dodge City in twin bill sweep

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Seward County Community College baseball team used the big inning to take two from Dodge City Community College, 15-5 and 10-7, on Saturday at Brent Gould Field. The Saints, who swept a four-game set from the Conquistadors, improved to 12-8 in the Jayhawk West, 20-17 overall, and are in a three-way tie for second place in the conference, two games behind Hutchinson.

Seward hosts a doubleheader against Garden City at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Brent Gould Field.

GAME ONE

Cayde Ward blasted a pair of homers and Seward scored a combined 12 runs in the third and fourth innings to earn a run-rule win in the opener.

The Saints jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning on a solo homer by Ward and RBI singles by Jose Caraballo, Kason Haggard and Cruz Shope. After Dodge City scored a run in the fourth, Seward answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning to open a 12-1 advantage.

Ward led off the inning with his second homer of the game, AJ Folds added a two-run double, Joe Kuhn and Shope each had a run-scoring single and Ward, who batted again, capped off the inning with an RBI double.

The Conquistadors came back and scored four runs in the fifth to cut the lead to 12-5, but the Saints scored three times in their half of the inning and ended the game on a run-rule.

Ward went 4-for-4 with three RBI and Folds and Shope each drove in three runs to lead Seward's 19-hit attack. Every Saints starter had at least one hit.

Chandler Poell (1-1) started for the first time this season and picked up the win in a complete-game effort. He allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits, struck out three, walked one and hit a batter over five innings.

GAME TWO

Seward took advantage of Dodge City miscues in a five-run, seventh inning to rally to a victory in the second game.

The Saints started the bottom of the seventh inning trailing, 7-4. With none out, Benny Ayala walked and Jose Caraballo singled to put runners on second and third. An error allowed Owen Martin to reach base and Ayala and Caraballo to score, cutting the deficit to 7-6. Another error allowed KP Werner to reach base and Martin to score to knot the contest at 7-7.

After Joe Kuhn was hit by a pitch, the Saints took the lead on a run-scoring ground out by Kason Haggard and another error scored Kuhn to cap the inning at 9-7. Seward added another run in the eighth to finish the scoring.

Ryan Thomas (3-1) pitched the final three innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking none in earning the win. Braeden Gould started and gave up two runs on six hits, struck out four and walked one over four innings. Ryan Giberson relieved Gould and allowed three runs on four hits, walked two and struck out two over two innings.

Kuhn went 2-for-3 with three RBI, Haggard drove in a pair of runs and Zane Alexander and Werner each had two hits for Seward, which trailed all game before taking the lead in the seventh inning.

Dodge City scored two runs in the first, a single run in the fifth and two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. The Saints scratched back with single runs in the second and third innings and two runs in the sixth.