Bats Remain Hot as Seward Sweeps 'Dogs

The Seward County Lady Saints continued to swing hot bats Monday afternoon at Lady Saints Field in Liberal, putting up back to back 10 run games to sweep visiting Clarendon 10-5 and 10-1 to improve to 25-13 on the season. 

It didn't take long for the Lady Saints to get going in game one as Jaidyn Mawhinney led off the game with a triple and started a five run 1^st for Seward, highlighted by an RBI double from Vanessa Oakden and a bases clearing triple from Hannah Clark to give the Lady Saints an early 5-0 lead. 

Clarendon, who has also been playing well of late, struck back in the 2^nd inning, getting three runs on two hits and a Seward County error to make it a 5-3 ball game. 

The wheels of Kennedy Brunson kept the Lady Saints going in the bottom of the 2^nd inning as she reached base on a bunt single before stealing second and third and then scoring on an RBI single from Kolby Hamilton to put Seward up 6-3. 

Clarendon got a run back in the top of the 4^th, but Seward answered with an RBI single to right from Grace Petersen to push their lead back to three at 7-4. 

The score would remain that way into the 6^th when a solo home run from the Bulldogs made it a 7-5 game and back to back batters reached base to put the tying runs on the sacks.  A big double play on a line drive ended Clarendon's inning and the Lady Saints took advantage of the momentum, tacking on three insurance runs in the bottom of the inning, two coming on another big two out hit from Clark to make it 10-5 Seward. 

Lady Saints starter Alexa O'Brien did the rest, working a 1-2-3 frame in the top half of the 7^th to close out a 10-5 win for Seward. 

Seward pounded out 15 hits in the win, getting a 3 hit game from Hamilton in the middle of the order and a 2 for 4, 5 RBI game from Clark at the bottom.  O'Brien improved to 12-6 in the circle, going the distance and allowing 7 hits and 4 earned runs to the Bulldogs in the victory. 

SEWARD COUNTY/CLARENDON GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Things didn't start so well for the Lady Saints in game two of the doubleheader as Seward committed a pair of errors on the first play of the game, eventually leading to a Clarendon run without a hit to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the day at 1-0 in the 1^st. 

The Lady Saints didn't trail for long though as Seward responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs on a two out single from Joe Ann Rapoza to put them in front 2-1. 

Seward blew the game open in the 3^rd, getting a one out RBI single from Hamilton before a two run single from Petersen and a Clarendon error extended their lead to 6-1.  They weren't done there as Rapoza picked up her third RBI of the day with a bunt single and Seward's two out hero Hannah Clark came through with her third two out RBI hit of the day with a double off the fence to make it an 8-1 game. 

The Lady Saints tacked on another run in the 3^rd on an RBI double from Petersen and made it a 10-1 game in the 4^th on a single from Mawhinney. 

That was more than enough for Seward starter Jaclyn Wagner who finished off the Bulldogs in the 5^th 1-2-3 to give the Lady Saints a 10-1 run rule win. 

Seward dominated every facet of the game in the win as the offense pounded out 11 hits while Wagner allowed just 1 to Clarendon.  Five different Lady Saints had multiple hits in the game including Petersen and Rapoza who were each 2 for 3 with 3 RBI's.  Wagner improved to 13-5 on the year by spinning a complete game and allowing just the 1 hit and 1 unearned run for Seward.  She struck out 7 and did not walk a batter for the second straight start. 

SEWARD COUNTY/CLARENDON GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Seward runs their win streak to eight in a row with the sweep to improve to 25-13 on the year.  Clarendon has their five game win streak snapped as they fall back to .500 at 16-16. 

Next up for the Lady Saints is the conclusion of their six game home stand on Wednesday as they host Dodge City at 3:00 in a pivotal Jayhawk West doubleheader.