Offense Breaks Out in Doubleheader Sweep

After a weekend in which they managed under three runs per game and went 1-4, the Seward County Lady Saints offense broke out of their slump Wednesday afternoon in Enid, Oklahoma, exploding for 24 runs in just 12 innings of action to sweep a split doubleheader with Northern Oklahoma and Independence by the final scores of 11-10 and 13-2. 

Seward faced a still challenge in game one of their split doubleheader as they took on 11-2 Northern Oklahoma.  Things started well for the gals in green as the Lady Saints pounded out three 1^st inning runs, getting a big two out rally that included RBI knocks from Danielle Orr and Kennedy Brunson to give them a 3-0 lead before the Jets even had a chance to hit. 

Northern Oklahoma got that back and then some in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases and scoring a run without even putting the ball in play to start the inning and then smashing a pair of doubles to clear the bases and take a 5-3 lead.  They weren't done yet, Seward's third dropped third strike of the inning allowed another Jet run to score and back to back walks allowed in Northern Oklahoma's seventh run of the inning to put them on top 7-3.  After all of the dust settled, Northern Oklahoma had scored 7 runs against Seward with the benefit of just 2 hits. 

Seward got a run back in the top of the 2^nd on a two out RBI single from Grace Petersen and then another in the 3^rd on a two out knock from Megan Olsen to cut the Northern Oklahoma lead to 7-5.  Lady Saints reliever Alexa O'Brien kept the Jets in check through the 3^rd and Seward added another run in the top half of the 4^th to make it a one run game at 7-6. 

O'Brien worked around trouble in the bottom half of the 4^th inning to keep it a one run game and worked another quick frame in the 5^th to send the game to the 6^th inning with the score still 7-6 in favor of Northern Oklahoma. 

The Lady Saints offense broke through once again in the 6^th as Kolby Hamilton singled to start the inning and Vanessa Oakden worked a long at bat before blasting a two run home run to put Seward up 8-7. 

Unfortunately for the Lady Saints, Northern Oklahoma broke through against O'Brien in the 6^th as well, scoring twice on the right handers fielding error to take the lead back 9-8. 

A Jet error allowed Seward to tie the game in the top of the 7^th and the Lady Saints used another error to extend their inning and score two more times on Petersen's third RBI hit of the game to take an 11-9 advantage. 

In their final at bats, Northern Oklahoma made some noise, getting a leadoff walk and a pair of singles to score a run to make it an 11-10 game with runners on the corners with one out.  With her back to the wall, O'Brien came up big for the Lady Saints, getting a pair of pop ups to dispatch the threat and secure the wild 11-10 win for Seward. 

Seward finished with 14 hits in the game while Northern Oklahoma scored their 10 runs off of just 7 hits.  Petersen was the offensive star for the Lady Saints in the win, finishing 4 for 5 with 3 RBI's while Oakden was 2 for 3 with a home run and 3 RBI's in front of her in the order.  O'Brien picked up the win in long relief, going 6 2/3 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs while picking up 5 strikeouts to improve to 4-3 on the year.  Lady Saints starter Jaclyn Wagner lasted just 1/3 of an inning and finished with the most interesting pitching line in the history of Seward County softball as she allowed 7 runs on 2 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3. 

SEWARD COUNTY/NORTHERN OKLAHOMA-ENID BOX SCORE

The Lady Saints second game of the day was expectedly much easier as they took on a winless Independence team from the Jayhawk East. 

Seward jumped on top right away, getting their first two runs on a wild pitch and an error to go up 2-0 and three more runs later in the inning on RBI doubles from Petersen and Kennedy Brunson and an RBI single from Joe Ann Rapoza to put the Lady Saints up 5-0. 

It remained a 5-0 game into the 4^th when another anomaly occurred as Independence scored two runs without touching the ball with their bat, getting a hit batter, two walks, a passed ball, and a wild pitch to get back into the game at 5-2. 

Seward pulled out their big sticks in response in the bottom of the inning, unloading on Independence pitching with 10 hits including 6 consecutive extra base hits to blow the game wide open.  Jamie St. Clair, Jaidyn Mawhinney and Hamilton all smacked doubles to make it a 7-2 game and Vanessa Oakden launched her second home run of the day, a two run shot to make it 9-2 Lady Saints.  They didn't stop there.  Two more doubles from Petersen and Orr made it 10-2 and Orr scored on an Independence error to open the lead up to 11-2.  Then with two outs in the inning the Lady Saints speed got the job done as they strung together four consecutive singles to plate two more runs and take a 13-2 lead. 

That was all she wrote for the Pirates who couldn't get anything against Mawhinney who was on in relief in the top of the 5^th and the Lady Saints wrapped up their second no hitter of the season, this one in combined fashion in a  13-2 win. 

Wagner and Mawhinney combined for the no-no in the victory.  Wagner earned the win, going 3 1/3 hitless innings, allowing 2 runs after 5 walks to improve to 5-2 on the year.  Mawhinney worked 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit to close things out.  Seward pounded out 16 hits in the victory, getting multi-hit games from five different players.  Hamilton led the Lady Saints charge, going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's and 2 runs scored while Mawhinney and Petersen also had 3 hits apiece. 

SEWARD COUNTY/INDEPENDENCE BOX SCORE

The Lady Saints improve to 9-7 with the sweep and will look to take the field again next Tuesday to open up Jayhawk West play with a doubleheader at Lady Saints Field against rival Butler starting at 2:00.