Lady Saints Sweep Opening Day 2014

The Seward County Lady Saints had to wait a while because of wintery weather in the Midwest in early February, but when they did get their 2014 season underway Friday in Tonkawa, Oklahoma against Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa, they didn't waste much time in getting things started on the right foot.  Seward grabbed an early 3-0 lead before hanging on to win 3-2 in game one of the double header and took a 5-1 lead in game two before holding on for a 5-4 win to sweep the twinbill.

Despite not practicing outside for nearly 10 days before their first game, the Lady Saints didn't take long to get things going against the Mavs as Marissa Chavez reached on an error to start the game and two batters later Pokey Ewell drove her home with a fielder's choice to put Seward up 1-0.  Later in the inning Becky Allen ripped a double to the gap to score Ewell and after ½ inning of play it was 2-0 Lady Saints.  Sophomore lefty Katelyn Craker did her job in the circle in the bottom half of the 1^st, setting down the Mavericks in order to keep Seward on top 2-0.

 The Lady Saints tacked onto their lead in the 3^rd, taking advantage of another Northern Oklahoma error to plate a run and go in front 3-0.  Craker worked her way into trouble in the bottom of the frame after walking the leadoff hitter on four pitches and hitting the next batter to put two on with nobody out.  However, she worked out of the jam, getting a strikeout for the first out followed by retiring the next two hitters to keep Northern Oklahoma off the board.

The Mavericks finally got on the board in the 4^th, getting a two out hit from Jade Barnett to score Natalie Eaton to cut the Lady Saints lead to 3-1. 

The score remained 3-1 into the 6^th when it looked like Seward would add to their advantage as they got three straight two out singles, but they weren't able to push a run across on the three hits and a groundout left the bases loaded to keep it a 3-1 game.  Craker held the lead in the bottom half of the frame, sitting down the Mavs in order on just nine pitches to send the game to the 7^th still 3-1. 

Seward again had something working in the top of the 7^th as Andrea Sitter reached on an error and stole second with one out, before moving up to third on a groundout, but for the second straight inning, the Lady Saints left their insurance just 60 feet away once again to keep it 3-1. 

Craker played with fire in the bottom half of the 7^th, walking the leadoff hitter who later game around to score on a passed ball to make it 3-2 and with two outs in the inning another walk put the tying run on base and brought the go ahead run to the plate.  Once again though, Craker worked out of trouble, getting a fly out to end the inning and the game as the Lady Saints hung on to win 3-2.

Neither team was able to manage much offense in the opener as Seward finished with 6 hits and Northern Oklahoma just 3.  Two of the three Lady Saints runs were unearned and one of the two Maverick runs was unearned.  Chavez finished 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored for the Lady Saints in the win while Ewell and Allen had Seward's only two RBI's.  Craker earned the win, going the distance and allowing just 3 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 8. 

SEWARD COUNTY/NORTHERN OKLAHOMA-TONKAWA GAME ONE BOX SCORE

In game two of the doubleheader it took Seward a little longer to get going.  The Lady Saints only hit of the first two innings was a Felisha Vogelaar double in the 2^nd, but thankfully for the gals in green, sophomore pitcher Brittany Hopkins kept the Mavs in check as well, holding them off the scoreboard to keep the game scoreless after two. 

In the Lady Saints half of the 3^rd Vanessa Oakden led off with a single and Joe Ann Rapoza followed that with a bunt single and the Northern Oklahoma defense again let them down as the ball was thrown up the line to allow Oakden to score to give Seward a 1-0 lead. 

Seward added another run in the 4^th as Allen tripled to lead off the frame and Vogelaar singled her home to make it 2-0.  A single later in the inning from Oakden put runners on the corners with two outs, but a fly out kept Seward from tacking on any further and kept the score 2-0 after 3 ½. 

Hopkins remained in control of the Tonkawa lineup in the bottom half of the 4^th, getting three ground balls on just 11 pitches to hold Seward's lead at 2-0. 

Northern Oklahoma finally broke through against Hopkins in the bottom of the 5^th, getting a pair of doubles to score their first run to make it 2-1.  A groundout moved a runner to third with two outs and a walk put runners at the corners.  With the tying run 60 feet away and the go ahead run on base, Hopkins came up big for Seward, getting a groundout to end the threat to keep the Lady Saints in front 2-1. 

It didn't take long for the Lady Saints to respond as Allen led off the Seward half of the 6^th with a single and Vogelaar walked to put two on with one out.  On the first pitch that she saw, freshman Danielle Orr picked a good time for her first collegiate hit, drilling a double to score both Allen and Vogelaar to give Seward some breathing room and a 4-1 lead.  Later in the inning Rapoza picked up her second hit of the game, this one an RBI single to stretch the Lady Saints advantage to 5-1. 

The score remained 5-1 into the bottom of the 7^th and just when it looked like Seward's prospects for a sweep would be easy, the Mavs had different ideas. With two outs in the inning Northern Oklahoma got a single to make it 5-2 and after a passed ball and another single it was quickly 5-3 with the tying run coming to the plate.  A third single in the inning plated the Mavs third run to cut the Lady Saints lead to 5-4 and now the winning run was at the plate for Northern Oklahoma, still with two outs in the inning.  Following a visit to the mound from Head Coach Andrea Gustafson, Hopkins calmed her nerves and retired the next batter, closing out the inning and the 5-4 win for the Lady Saints. 

Seward finished with 10 hits in the victory, all coming from the bottom half of their lineup.  The top three hitters in the Lady Saints order went 0 for 11 combined while the bottom six went 10 for 19.  Allen led the Seward charge, finishing a home run short of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with a double, a triple, and two runs scored. Rapoza and Vogelaar each finished with 2 hits and an RBI for the Lady Saints and Orr collected 2 RBI's in a 1 for 3 effort. Hopkins went all the way for Seward in the circle, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 7 to earn the win. 

SEWARD COUNTY/NORTHERN OKLAHOMA-TONKAWA GAME TWO BOX SCORE

The Lady Saints start 2-0 for the second time in three seasons.  They will get right back after things on Saturday when they travel to Rose State for a split double header with Grayson County and the host Lady Raiders.