Offense rules the day as Saints advance to bracket play of Region VI tournament

LIBERAL, Kan - The Seward County baseball team will be heading to Wichita State next week to continue their play in the Region VI Playoffs after a thrilling win to clinch the series over the Neosho County Panthers. The Saints were able to close the series out without having to go to a decisive game three due to late game fireworks that sealed the deal for the Saints.

Game one saw Brian Luna from Seward County and Brady Pacha of Neosho County get the starts on the mound. Pacha was able to quiet the Saints' bats early throwing up three consecutive zeros on the scoreboard to start the contest. Brian Luna was not so fortunate and the Panthers were able to score first with one run in the first and two in the third inning. Luna settled down just enough to give the Seward County bats a chance to get rolling, and they did just that. The Saints were able to touch up Pacha in the fourth inning for six runs flipping a 3-run Panther lead to now a 3-run Saints lead and the Saints never looked back. Brian Luna would go 6.1 innings allowing 6 hits and 7 runs with 6 of those earned. The Saints would continue to add runs and eventually won the contest 15-7 to take game one.

Game one had its craziness, but not anywhere near to the levels seen in game two. Game two started with Neosho County jumping out to a 4-0 lead before the Saints even stepped up to the plate. Seward County answered right back with two runs of their own and after one inning 6 runs had already been scored in the contest. The Saints would then go scoreless for two straight innings while the Panthers grew their lead as it ballooned to a 9-2 Panther advantage to start the 4th inning. However, Seward County would get the bats going in the 4th inning, plating three runs while relief pitcher Bo Jacob Garza finally calmed the Neosho County batters. Garza threw 5.1 innings in relief of starter Aidan Moore and was able to throw four consecutive scoreless inings as the Saints were able to claw back and take the lead in the 6th inning.

Starting the 8th inning the Saints had a 12-9 lead over the Panthers and then the game got wild. Neosho County hit a leadoff homerun to cut their deficit to two runs. The next batter would then fly out, but this was only followed up by another Panther solo homerun. The Panthers would then get two runners on and were able to work one to third base, eventually scoring him on a sacrifice fly. Then the very next batter was able to put another ball over the fence, scoring two runs as the Panthers took a 14-12 lead going into the bottom of the 8th inning. Saints hitter Jarron Wilcox then came to the plate with one out and no runners on, and cranked another homerun. At this point the Saints trailed 14-13 with one out. After Wilcox, the next Saints' batter flied out to LF and now Ranse Radtke was up to bat. Radtke drew a walk and was brought all the way around the bases and scored on a Tristan Curless RBI triple. Seven runs in total were scored in the 8th inning, and somehow the score was tied at 14.

Neosho County came up to bat in the 9th looking to take the lead, and they did just that with the leadoff hitter smashing another homerun. Two batters latter and the Saints outfielders were watching another ball fly over the fence, and then 2 out of the next three hitters would launch two more homeruns. In total the Panthers hit 4 solo homeruns to bust open a 4-run 18-14 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th. However, Elijah Bear would counter the Panther long balls with a homerun of his own to leadoff the inning. The Saints would hen work a pair of runners into scoring position as Ranse Radtke singles scoring Connor Cox and Trenton Rowan as the Panther lead was now just one. The Saints would use this momentum to load the bases and with two outs Jaxson Gregg stepped up to the plate trailing 18-17. Gregg would take the first pitch outside for ball one and now sat in a hitter's count. The next pitch was grooved up and in, and Gregg let the barrel do the work as he crushed one over the left-field fence ending the game and series with a walk-off grand slam. The Saints would win game two with a final score of 21-18 to advance to bracket play at Wichita State.

In total, the teams combined for 45 basehits, with 21 extra-basehits and 13 homeruns. In the last two complete innings, 9 homeruns were smashed over the fence.

Seward County will face off against #2 seed Johnson County with first pitch scheduled for Wednesday, May 17th at 1 p.m. CT.