West Champion Saints Slip in Regular Season Finales

In sports coaches cringe when they hear the phrase "you have nothing to play for" but in reality there are days when that is just about the case.  With that situation at hand Sunday in Great Bend, the already crowned Jayhawk West Champion Seward County Saints took the field for their final two games of the regular season against the Barton Cougars.  Game three of the series was a back and forth battle with Barton getting six runs in the 2^nd and the Saints seven in the 4^th, but in the end it was the Cougars squeaking out a 10-9 victory over Seward.  In the series finale, the Saints offense couldn't come up with the big hit as they left 12 runners on in a 5-2 loss to wrap up the regular season. 

On a sloppy field at Lawson-Biggs Field in Great Bend, it was the Cougars striking first in game three of the series Sunday.  Barton took advantage of a Seward error in the 2^nd, scoring six times with two outs in the frame to open up an early 6-0 lead on the Saints. 

The Saints got a pair back in the 3^rd as the error bug bit the Cougars to make it a 6-2 game, but another Seward error allowed Barton to get two runs of their own to stretch their lead back to six at 8-2 in the bottom half of the inning. 

Just when it looked like the Saints were dead in the water, they exploded for a seven run 4^th.  Barton pitching walked three straight hitters, including a bases loaded free pass, and hit another to push home another run to make it 8-4.  A single from Brent Williams plated two more to make it an 8-6 game and a double to the gap from Dillon Drury scored Williams and Brandon Urquizo to tie the score at 8.  After chasing Barton starter Alex Evans from the game, Seward continued their scoring barrage as Justin Graff-Rowe picked up his second hit of the inning with an RBI knock to left to put the Saints on top 9-8. 

The high scoring affair continued in the Barton half of the 4^th as another defensive blunder on a bases loaded ground ball back to the pitcher for Seward allowed the Cougars to score the equalizer and Barton squeezed in a run in the 5^th to go on top 10-9. 

Seward put the tying run on in the top of the 6^th but lined into a double play to end that threat and they got a two out pinch hit single by Antonio Dorado in the 7^th and were unable to score him as they fell for the first time in 13 Jayhawk West games 10-9. 

Seward was outhit 10-6 in the game and committed 3 errors which turned into six unearned runs.  Williams and Graff-Rowe had 2 hits each for Seward while Drury drove in 2 runs.  Nate Sylvester took the loss on the mound for Seward, allowing 3 hits and 1 run in 2 2/3 innings of work out of the Saints bullpen. 

SEWARD COUNTY/BARTON GAME THREE BOX SCORE

The Saints grabbed the early lead in game four of the series, plating a 2^nd inning run on a sacrifice fly from Nic Ricigliano to take a 1-0 lead. 

Barton scratched right back with a run of their own in the 2^nd, scoring on a two out passed ball to even the score at 1.

The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the 3^rd as their first three hitters of the inning reached base, scoring a run to make it 2-1 and added another later in the inning on a Seward error to go on top 3-1. 

The Saints got back to within one on an RBI infield single from Brandon Urquizo to make it 3-2, but the Saints bats, who had come into the game so hot, went deathly silent from there. 

Seven straight Seward hitters were retired consecutively while the Cougars were able to score two more times in the 6^th to go up 5-2. 

It remained a 5-2 game into the 9^th as the Saints bats remained quiet, but a pair of Seward singles in their final at bats brought the game tying run to the dish.  A single from Drury loaded the bases and brought the go ahead run to the plate, but Barton closed the door on a highlight reel play on a popup in foul territory to extinguish the fire and finish off the 5-2 victory. 

The Saints outhit Barton 11-9 in the game, but left 12 men on in the contest.  The Saints defense was also shaky for the second consecutive game, committing 5 errors to finish with 9 on the day.  Urquizo, Williams, and Drury each had 2 hits for Seward in the loss.  Thomas Garland took the loss on the mound, allowing 6 hits and 4 earned runs in 5 innings of work to drop to 5-2 on the year.  Jakob Hernandez continued a solid sting of innings on the mound for Seward, going 3 shutout out of the bullpen with 6 strikeouts in the losing effort. 

SEWARD COUNTY/BARTON GAME FOUR BOX SCORE

Despite the doubleheader sweep, the Saints still finish the regular season as the Jayhawk West Champions as they end the regular season 32-22 overall and 21-11 in conference action.  Barton grabs a little bit of momentum before the playoff season as they improve to 26-25 overall and 16-16 in West play where they finish 6^th. 

Seward will be the top seed for the Region VI Tournament which begins this weekend at venues across the Sunflower State.  The Saints will open tournament play with a best two out of three game series with the Highland Scotties Saturday and Sunday at Brent Gould Field in Liberal, beginning with a 1:00 doubleheader Saturday and the if necessary game at 12:00 Sunday.