Seward Shuts Out Pratt, Wins 40th On Sophomore Day

It went about just as well as it could go for two Seward County sophomore pitchers on Sophomore Day at Lady Saints Field on Friday.  Playing in their final home games of their Seward County careers, hurlers Katelyn Craker and Brittany Hopkins stymied the Pratt Lady Beavers, each tossing shutouts in 8-0 and 7-0 wins for the Lady Saints. 

Seward got the scoring action started right away in game one, using a Pratt error to get on the board in the 1^st and getting an RBI single with two outs in the inning from Tiffanie Bolanos to go ahead 2-0. 

The Lady Saints were back at it in the 2^nd as they got three straight hits to begin in the inning including an RBI single up the middle from Andrea Sitter to put them on top 3-0.  They continued their scoring later in the inning as a walk to Becky Allen loaded the bases and with two outs Danielle Orr smacked a double to drive home two to put Seward in front 5-0. 

Lady Saint starter Katelyn Craker didn't allow a hit through three innings, getting a pair of strikeouts in a quick top half of the 3^rd inning to keep Seward up by five. 

Pratt resorted to small ball to break up the no-hit bid, using a bunt single to start the 4^th to collect their first hit of the afternoon.  It didn't phase Craker though as she struck out two to close out the 4^th to keep her shutout bid intact. 

The score stayed 5-0 into the 6^th when Craker wielded another scoreless inning for the Lady Saints.  Her offense rewarded her in the bottom half of the inning getting three straight singles with one out, including RBI knocks from Marissa Chavez and Bolanos followed by a sacrifice fly from Joe Ann Rapoza to put the game in the books on an 8-0 run rule victory. 

Seward dominated every facet of the game, outhitting Pratt 12-3 while playing clean on defense compared to 3 errors for the Lady Beavers.  Craker was almost untouchable, allowing just 3 hits in the complete game shutout victory.  She struck out 9 and walked just 1 to move to 19-4 on the year.  Orr finished 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI's for the Lady Saints while Bolanos and Rapoza each had 2 hits and an RBI. 

SEWARD COUNTY/PRATT GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Game two nearly looked like a rerun of game one, except this time it was righthander Brittany Hopkins doing the damage in the circle for Seward. 

It took the Lady Saints offense a little bit of time to get going in the second game of the twinbill as they left two on in the 1^st and stranded the bases loaded in the 2^nd inning as the game remained scoreless. 

Each team got their leadoff man on in the 3^rd but couldn't do anything with the runner and Hopkins worked around a pair of Pratt hits in the 4^th to keep the Beavers off the board. 

The Lady Saints got the scoring started in a big way in the bottom of the 4^th, using a safety squeeze from Felisha Vogelaar to put their first run up and getting an RBI single from Pokey Ewell later in the inning to make it 2-0.  Still with just one out in the inning and the bases now loaded, Chavez smacked a bases clearing double to the wall to drive home three and blow the game open 5-0.  After a single by Orr, Chavez would score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bolanos to give Seward County a 6-0 lead after 4. 

Hopkins locked it in to high gear from there.  She blazed through the Pratt order in the 5^th and worked a quick 1-2-3 frame in the 6^th to keep Seward on top 6-0.

Chavez ripped her second double of the game to lead off the Seward 6^th and she later came around to score on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning to make it 7-0. 

Hopkins remained in control as the Beavers came to hit in the 7^th, needing just 9 pitches to retire the side to preserve her shutout and give the Lady Saints a 7-0 win to sweep the doubleheader. 

Pratt managed just the two 2^nd inning hits as far as offense in the contest while Seward pounded out 12 hits and played their second straight game without an error.  Hopkins went the distance, picking up the shutout win to move to 18-5 on the year, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 6 without walking a batter in the game.  Chavez paced the offense with a 2 for 4 game, driving home 3 and scoring twice for the Lady Saints.  Vanessa Oakden was 3 for 3 for Seward and Sitter and Ewell each had 2 hits and a run scored in the win. 

SEWARD COUNTY/PRATT GAME TWO BOX SCORE

The wins move the Lady Saints to 41-11 on the year as they pick up victory number 40 for the fourth time in six seasons.  Pratt continues their miserable year as they fall to 11-35 after the sweep. 

The Lady Saints will enjoy a rare weekend off before hitting the field twice next week on the road as they travel to Colby Wednesday and Barton on Friday to wrap up their 2014 Jayhawk West Conference schedule.