Saints Offense Struggles At Colby

COLBY, Kan. – The offense couldn't get going for the Seward County baseball team (15-12, 3-5 KJCCC), getting swept by the Colby Trojans in their double header on Saturday.  The Saints were shut out 7-0 in game one before getting run-ruled 11-1 in game two.

GAME ONE RECAP

Ryan Thomas (2-2) started on the mound in game one, pitching all 6.0 innings in the loss.  He gave up seven runs on 10 hits while striking out three batters.

Spencer Sackett, Cayde Ward and Dylan Paul were the lone Saints to record a hit.  Errors plagued Seward as they finished the game with four.

Colby jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning and the Saints failed to get a baserunner in the top of the inning. An error started the before a single and a double pushed home the first run. A single with the next at-bat scored two more runs to make it 3-0.  The baserunner advanced to second with an error by Dylan Paul before advancing to third on a passed ball.  An error with the at-bat made the score 4-0.

The Saints threatened in the top of the second with the bases loaded and no outs, but a strikeout and a double play ended the inning.

The Trojans pushed their lead to 6-0 with a two-out, two-run home run in the second inning. 

Colby continued their scoring in the bottom of the third.  A one-out single gave the Trojans a baserunner.  A balk pushed the baserunner to second before a single brought him home, making it 7-0.

GAME TWO RECAP

Brayden Conner (0-2) got the start in the game two but pitched only 1.1 innings after giving up eight runs on four hits, while walking four batters.  Hunter Ratcliffe (2.1 IP) and Jacob Nielsen (2.1 IP) came in to relieve Conner, giving up three combined runs on two hits.

The Saints came away with seven hits, with Austin Tidwell finishing with two hits.  Benny Ayala was the lone Saint to record an RBI, hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning.

Game two began just as game one. A walk and three errors scored the first run for the Trojans and kept the bases loaded.  A single with the next at-bat scored the second run of the inning. Two strikeouts sandwiched another single that made it 3-0 before a bases-loaded walk scored the fourth run of the inning.

The Trojans started the bottom of the second with a solo home run.  A walk and hit-by-pitch put runners at first and second before a walk loaded the bases. One base runner scored on a wild pitch before a line drive single emptied the bases to make it 8-0.

Colby managed another run in the bottom of the third with two singles to centerfield to make it 9-0 before the Saints got on the board with Ayala's home run in the top of the fourth to make it 9-1.

The Saints forced two straight fly-outs to start the fifth, but two walks and an error followed, allowing the Trojans to score the 10^th run of the game.

Two walks to start the bottom of the fifth, followed by a fielder's choice put runners at second and third for Colby, before a ground out made it 11-1. Two scoreless innings by the Saints ended the game from the run-rule.

Seward will play a non-conference game on Tuesday (March 20) at 3:00 p.m. against Clarendon at Brent Gould Field before returning to conference play on Thursday (March 22) when they travel to Cloud County to take on the Thunderbirds.