Saints Survive in Wichita Thanks to Hot Start
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Seward County Community College | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 3 |
|
Butler Community College | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 1 |
A hot start and a solid finish was the recipe for success for the Seward County Saints this afternoon in Wichita as they survived and advanced in the Region VI Championships with an 8-7 win over the Butler Grizzlies.
Seward came out of the gates like gangbusters, getting an RBI double from Brent Williams followed by back to back towering home runs from Jordan Leinweber and Kevin Connolly to quickly give them a 4-0 lead in the top half of the 1st inning. The Saints weren't done there. After Butler finally recorded the second out of the inning Brandon Urquizo singled, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error by the Grizzlies and then scored on an infield single from Mason Marshall to put the Saints on top 5-0.
A Seward error allowed Butler to push across a run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Saints answered with a run of their own in the top half of the 2nd to put them back up by five, 6-1.
The Saints had a chance to extend upon their lead, putting two on in the top half of the 3rd, but they couldn't get the big two out hit and it helped shift the momentum ever so slightly to the Butler side.
The Grizzlies loaded the bases without an out in their half of the 3rd and a double by Alex Weiss cleared the bases and in one swing drew Butler to within a pair at 6-4. A single to center scored Weiss to make it a one run game and later in the inning following a walk the Grizzlies used an RBI groundout to score a run and tie the game at 6.
Seward couldn't manage a hit through the 4th or 5th innings and Butler stranded runners on second in both halves of their frames to keep the score knotted at 6 into the 6th.
With one out in the Seward 6th, Reed Thompson found a hole with a single and Bryson Allen walked after a long at bat to put two runners on for the Saints top RBI man Brent Williams. Williams watched the first two pitches he saw before lining a single back through the box to bring a run home and put the Saints back in front 7-6.
Seward starter Austin King looked like he would sail through the 6th inning, getting the first two outs of the inning on just three pitches, but after two straight two out singles, the lefty was lifted in favor of reliever Keenan Hall who worked his way out of the jam to keep the Saints in front by one.
The Saints went down quietly in order in the 7th and Butler took advantage of the zero, scoring a run on two hits in the bottom of the inning to tie the game back up at 7.
A leadoff single by shortstop Jake Fuller and a sacrifice bunt by Reed Thompson put the Saints in business in the top of the 8th and a passed ball on the Grizzlies catcher moved Fuller to third with one out. Allen took advantage of the run scoring opportunity, driving a pitch to deep right center for a sac fly to score Fuller from third and give the Saints an 8-7 lead.
Hall faced the meat of the Butler order in the bottom of the 8th, but needed just nine pitches to work through the Grizzlies, getting a pair of fly outs and a ground out to keep the Saints in control up 8-7.
The Saints looked for an insurance run in the top half of the 9th, but could get nothing going and quickly the game moved to the bottom of the 9th inning with the score still 8-7 in favor of Seward.
Seward got nice defensive plays by Brandon Rix at third and then Williams at first to get the first two outs of the inning, but Butler picked up a two out infield single to make things interesting. Jeff Christen pinch ran for catcher Connor Knight and immediately found himself of the middle of the action as Butler second baseman Trevor Ezell drilled the first pitch he saw to the right side, past a diving Williams, but right smack dab into the thigh of Christen which would be called a runners interference and an out to end the ballgame with the Saints winning 8-7 and just like that ending the Grizzlies season.
The Saints had 14 hits in the win while Butler managed 12 hits against Saints pitching. Seward made 3 errors in the contest while Butler had 1 defensive miscue. Eight of the nine Seward starters had hits in the game including Williams and Brandon Urquizo who had 3 hits apiece. Leinweber finished 1 for 4 but drove in 3 runs for the Saints while Allen was 2 for 3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Hall earned the win out of the bullpen for the Saints, going 3 1/3 innings of effective relief, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run while picking up a key strikeout to end the 6th.
The Saints improve to 32-28 overall on the year while Butler ends their 2014 campaign with a 36-23 mark.
Seward survives and moves on to their second elimination game of the tournament on Sunday when they will play a 1:30 PM Mother's Day affair with Jayhawk West rival Garden City.