Curless strikeouts 16 as the Saints split with the Broncbusters

LIBERAL, Kan. - Seward County Community College splits their doubleheader against Garden City Community College as they lost game one 7-2, and won game two 11-0. The Saints starter in game two, Tristan Curless allowed two hits and zero runs over seven innings, striking out 16. With the split, the Saints improved to 10-21 on the season and 3-7 in conference play. The series will conclude this Saturday with games three and four at Garden City, Kansas. 

GAME 1

The Broncbusters took an early 1-0 lead over the Saints after the first inning in game one. Luke Williams tied the game with a solo home run to left-center field in the bottom of the third inning. Garden City responded with two-run in the top of the fourth as they scored on a single and a wild pitch to lead 3-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Saints were able to cut the lead down to one run as Ranse Radtke scored on a fielder's choice as Seward County trailed 3-2. The Broncbusters kept the Saints scoreless for the remainder of the seven-inning game as Garden City went on to score two runs in the fifth and added two more runs in the seventh to win 7-2. 

Mason Martinez received the loss from the mound as he went six innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and striking out eight.

The Saints fell to 9-21 on the season and 2-7 in conference play. 

GAME 2 

To started game two with a hot start as Curless struck out his first three batters and the Saints jumped out to an early lead. Jase Schneider started the game with a double to right field and scored on a ground ball to the second baseman. The Saints next five batters all reached on an error or a hit by a pitch to score Jaxson Gregg, Luke Williams, and Jacob Masters. Javier Gomez hit an RBI single that scored Reed Thomas from third base and Tucker Livermore followed up with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Connor Cox.

Seward County scored six runs in the top of the first inning to lead 6-0 over the Broncbusters.

Curless started the game with eight strikeouts through the first three innings and kept Garden City scoreless. 

In the bottom of the third inning, Javier Gomez started the inning with a double to left field and later scored off of a sacrifice fly by Gregg. Jase Schneider started the fifth inning with a solo home run to right-center field as the Saints led 8-0 through five innings.

Seward County continued their strong offensive performance as Connor Cox started the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run. Javier Gomez followed up with his second double of the game, and Schneider hit his second home run of the game to score Gomez as the Saints led 11-0 after the sixth inning. 

Tristan Curless finished the game for the Saints with two more strikeouts in the seventh to finish the contest as Seward County won 11-0. The lefty Curless allowed two hits and zero runs over seven innings, striking out 16.

The Saints improve to 10-21 on the season and 3-7 in conference play. 

Seward County will travel to Garden City on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at 1 PM CT.