Offense Powers Saints to Midweek Win

Fans that have come to expect high scoring, exciting affairs in Seward County midweek baseball games weren't disappointed yesterday at Brent Gould Field in Liberal as Seward and visiting Clarendon went back and forth in a contest that featured 36 hits and 34 runs before the Saints finally outlasted the Bulldogs 18-16. 

After combining for 45 runs in their previous meeting, the Saints and Bulldogs got the scoring started right away in Wednesday's contest as Clarendon rapped a pair of 1^st inning doubles to score a run to take an early 1-0 lead. 

The Saints answered in the bottom half of the frame as the first two hitters of the inning reached base and an error by the Bulldogs let in the first Seward run in the game to tie things at 1.  Later in the inning Jordan Leinweber ripped a double down the line to score two more for Seward and with two outs in the inning Hayden Killam lined a single up the middle to score Leinweber to make it 4-1 Saints. 

The Seward lead didn't last long though as Clarendon responded with a crooked number of their own in the top half of the 2^nd.  Two hits and two walks gave the Bulldogs a run and loaded the bases and a double to the gap scored two more to tie the game at 4.  They weren't done there as another double plated two more runs for Clarendon to give them a 6-4 lead and later in the inning an RBI single and a groundout scored two more runs to make it 8-4 Bulldogs after 1 ½. 

The scoring barrage continued as Seward came to hit in the 2^nd.  Three singles loaded the bases for Seward and a one out single from Leinweber plated a pair of runs to make it an 8-6 contest.  After Leinweber's RBI knock, Bryson Allen followed suit, hammering a ground rule double over the right center field wall to score two more to tie the game at 8. 

The scoreboard had a second to breathe in the 3^rd as each team went scoreless to keep the score tied at 8-8. 

But the lull didn't last long as Clarendon began the 4^th with back to back home runs to break the tie and after a hit batter, the Bulldogs got another tally on an RBI groundout to make it 11-8. 

Leinweber collected his third RBI hit of the game with a double in the bottom of the inning to score Kevin Connolly to make it 11-9 and Leinweber scored on a throwing error by Clarendon catcher Daniel Perez to cut the Bulldog lead to 11-10.  After a pair of walks loaded the bases for the Saints, John Solberg picked an opportune time to launch his first career home run as he sent a 1-0 pitch sailing over the right field wall for a grand slam to put the Saints in front 14-11. 

After a scoreless 5^th inning for both sides, the offensive flurry continued in the 6^th.  Clarendon loaded the bases with one out on just one hit and a single scored two runs to cut the Saints lead to 14-13.  A double steal by the Bulldogs earned them another run to tie the game and later in the frame an RBI double put Clarendon back in front 15-14. 

A solo home run for Clarendon in the top of the 7^th gave the Bulldogs another run to work with as they grabbed a 16-14 lead into stretch time. 

Back to back singles from Connolly and Brent Williams started the Saints 7^th and another RBI hit from Leinweber, this one a single brought Connolly home to make it a 16-15 game in favor of Clarendon.  With two outs in the inning Saints Head Coach Galen McSpadden pushed exactly the right button as he pinch hit Reed Thompson who rewarded his skipper with a three run bomb over the right center field wall to put the Saints on top 18-16. 

Saints reliever Ryan McCutcheon gave Seward a big zero in the top half of the 8^th inning with the game on the line and sophomore Adam Guay did the same in the 9^th, mowing through the Bulldogs lineup 1-2-3 to close the game out to earn his third save of the season to preserve the 18-16 win for the Saints. 

Seward outslugged the Bulldogs 21-15 in the contest.  Six different Saints had multi-hit efforts in the win including Leinweber who had a career day, going 4 for 4 with 2 doubles, while driving in 6 runs, all career highs.   Connolly continued to swing his red hot stick, going 4 for 6 with 4 runs scored on the afternoon, notching his seventh straight multi-hit game.  Allen and impromptu leadoff man Hudson Bilodeau each had 3 hits in the victory while Solberg finished 2 for 5 with 4 RBI's coming off of the grand slam.  Thomas Garland picked up the win on the mound, going 1 2/3 innings, allowing a hit and a run.  McCutcheon and Guay were the only two Seward pitchers to not allow a run in the win as they each tossed scoreless innings at the back end of the game. 

SEWARD COUNTY/CLARENDON BOX SCORE

The Saints improve to 24-17 on the year while Clarendon drops to 14-16. 

Next up for Seward is a return to Jayhawk West action when they will travel to Colby on Friday and Saturday to battle the Trojans in a key four game conference series.  Doubleheaders will begin both days beginning at 1:00.