Seward Swings Their Way Into 1st Place in the Jayhawk West

The Seward County Lady Saints turned 27 hits in to 20 runs Thursday afternoon in Pratt, sweeping the host Beavers by the scores of 14-1 and 6-2 to take over sole possession of 1^st place in the Jayhawk West at the 10 game juncture. 

It didn't take long for the 1^st place Lady Saints to get things going against the last place Beavers Thursday afternoon.  Seward scored six times with two outs in the top half of the 1^st inning in their game one battle with Pratt, getting two RBI singles from Vanessa Oakden, Hannah Clark, and Tiffany Bolanos to give them a quick 6-0 lead. 

They were back at it in the 2^nd, once again with two outs, working their magic and getting a bases clearing double from Danielle Orr to score three and stretch their lead to 9-0. 

Seward starter Alexa O'Brien worked out of a mini-jam in the bottom of the inning and the Lady Saints scored their tenth two out run of the game in the 3^rd to put themselves on top 10-0. 

Pratt was finally able to mount some sort of offense against O'Brien, scoring a single tally in the bottom of the 4^th, but the Lady Saints responded with four more in the top of the 5^th, the big blow on a bases loaded triple from Kennedy Brunson to put the nail in the coffin at 14-1. 

O'Brien retired the Beavers in order in the 5^th and that was all she wrote as Seward finished off the 14-1 run rule victory in the opener. 

The Lady Saints had 12 hits in the game and were helped by 6 Beaver errors.  Every Seward starter had at least one hit in the win including Bolanos who finished 3 for 3 with 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored and Brunson who was 2 for 3 with 3 runs driven home.  O'Brien picked up her 10^th win of the season, going the distance and allowing just 3 hits and 1 run. 

SEWARD COUNTY/PRATT GAME ONE BOX SCORE

It was Pratt jumping in front early in game two of the doubleheader, getting a generous 1^st inning run from the Lady Saints without the benefit of a hit to take a 1-0 lead. 

The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Beavers into the 3^rd when Seward got a leadoff home run from Bolanos and a two out RBI single from Grace Petersen to take their first lead of the game at 2-1. 

Lady Saints pitcher Jaclyn Wagner tossed back to back 1-2-3 innings in the 3^rd and 4^th and Seward extended their lead to 4-1 in the top half of the 5^th when Vanessa Oakden singled home a pair with one out in the inning. 

Pratt cut the Seward lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the 5^th with a solo home run, but Wagner limited the damage to that and the game sailed to the 7^th with the Lady Saints clinging to a two run lead. 

In the top of the 7^th the Lady Saints used a Pratt error to add two insurance runs to make it 6-2, but they wouldn't need it as Wagner slammed the door on the Beavers in their final at bats to seal up a 6-2 win for the Lady Saints. 

Seward had 15 hits in the win as eight of nine starters recorded at least one knock in the game.  Grace Petersen and Hannah Clark each had 3 hits and an RBI for the Lady Saints in the victory while Bolanos had another solid game with 2 hits, including the home run and 2 RBI's.  Wagner earned the win in the circle, allowing just 2 Pratt hits while striking out 5 to improve to 11-5 on the year. 

SEWARD COUNTY/PRATT GAME TWO BOX SCORE

The Lady Saints collect win numbers 20 and 21 on the season with the sweep, improving to 21-13 overall, but more importantly, take the lead in the Jayhawk West standings at 8-2.  Pratt continues a rough start to 2015, falling to 3-19 overall and 3-7 in West play on the year. 

Seward will now host a six game homestand beginning on Saturday at Lady Saints Field when they welcome Southeast Community College to Liberal for a 1:00 doubleheader.