Seward Drops Two Close Ones in Conference Openers

In a rivalry matchup that has heated up in recent years between Seward County and Butler, there was no better way to get Jayhawk West play underway on Thursday than a double header between the two at Lady Saints Field in Liberal.  In game one Butler took an early 3-1 lead and added a pair of runs in the 6^th to go on to win 5-2.  In game two the Lady Saints bats were silent as Butler picked up the 2-0 shutout win to sweep the double header and take a huge step towards winning their fourth straight conference title. 

In the opener it was #6 Butler getting on the board first with a pair of two out runs in the 2^nd inning after a walk and a drop third strike set the table nicely for them. 

Seward got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Becky Allen led off the frame with her second home run of the year to make it 2-1. 

Butler answered the bomb with one of their own as reigning NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week Sydnee Eck got it done with the bat, blasting the first pitch she saw over the wall for a solo home run to make it 3-1 Grizzlies. 

The Lady Saints struggled to get anything going offensively against Eck in the middle innings and Butler held their 3-1 advantage into the 6^th. 

In the top half of the 6^th Butler again struck with two outs, getting a two RBI double from Jillian Navarrete to tack on a pair of insurance runs to make it 5-1. 

Seward used a Butler error to push across a run in their final at bats to make it 5-2, but they left the tying run on deck after a pair of fly outs ended their threat and the game as the Grizzlies took the opener 5-2. 

Hits were hard to come by in the opener as Butler finished with just 5 and Seward only 4 in the contest.  Allen was the lone offensive bright spot for Seward, finishing 1 for 3 with both of the Seward runs scored in the game.  Katelyn Craker suffered her first loss of the 2014 season, going the distance in the circle for Seward, allowing 5 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 6. 

SEWARD COUNTY/#6 BUTLER GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Both teams bats were quiet early on in game two of the twinbill as just two runners had reached second base through the first three innings of the game as the contest was scoreless into the 4^th. 

Butler picked up the first extra base hit of the game on a one out double, but Seward starter Brittany Hopkins stranded the runner at third at innings end to keep the Grizzlies off the board. 

Seward put two runners on for the first time in the game in the bottom of the inning, but a groundout ended that threat and kept it a 0-0 game into the 5^th. 

The Grizzlies manufactured a run in the 5^th, getting a one out single, a stolen base, and another single to take the lead 1-0.  Later in the inning a double steal aided their cause and an RBI groundout pushed home their second run of the inning to give them a 2-0 advantage. 

Seward went down in order in the 5^th, but had a chance to score in the 6^th as they put two on with one out for the middle of their order, but a groundout and a fly out put out their fire and kept the Grizzlies on top 2-0.

Hopkins pitched around a Lady Saints error to start the 7^th to keep Seward within striking distance for their final at bats, trailing just 2-0. 

Once again the Lady Saints made some noise in the 7^th, putting two on with just one out for the second straight inning, but with two chances to come through in the clutch, a strikeout and a groundout ended the threat and it was Butler who went on to win 2-0 to sweep the double header. 

Again there wasn't much offense to show as Butler finished with 6 hits to Seward's 5.  Five different Seward players had hits in the loss.  Hopkins took the tough luck loss in the circle for the Lady Saints.  The sophomore right hander went the whole way for Seward, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs while striking out and walking 1. 

SEWARD COUNTY/#6 BUTLER GAME TWO BOX SCORE

The tough start to conference play drops Seward back to 15-4 overall and 0-2 in Jayhawk West action.  Butler improves to 11-3 overall and starts their title defense with a 2-0 conference mark.  The wins were the ninth and tenth straight for the Grizzlies in the series. 

Seward returns to the diamond on Monday as they host McCook at Lady Saints Field in Liberal.  The Lady Saints and Lady Indians will shoot for a 2:00 first pitch for their double header with temperatures expected to soar into the 70's for action on Monday.