Dominant Game Two Win Helps Lady Saints Split Against NJC

Liberal, Kansas – After starting their 2024 season strong with a sweep against McCook to begin 2-0, the Seward County Lady Saints took the field against the Northeastern Plainswomen where despite falling due to the run rule 25-13 in game one, SCCC forced a run rule of their own as they dominated game two 12-1 to improve to 3-1 after opening week.

Game one saw the Lady Saints scoring first to open the contest as they drove in a pair before wrapping up the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead over the Plainswomen. Northeastern answered back in the second with some strong swings that resulted in three home runs to take a 7-2 lead over SCCC. NJC grew their lead out to nine thanks to a couple more scores in the top of the third, but a homer by Samantha Gomez put Seward County back on the board 11-3 entering the fourth as the Lady Saints continued to try and close the gap. The home run fest continued for Seward County in the fourth as Alyssa Morgan, Anberlin Odell, and Gomez combined for three straight bombs out beyond the fences to help score nine runs in the fourth and put the score at 18-12. Despite adding on a couple more scores, the Lady Saints eventually fell in five innings in game one as NJC made their way to home seven times in the fifth to force a run rule 25-13 and hand the Lady Saints their first loss of the season.

It was a different story in game two as both sides seemed to pull a complete one-eighty as it was Seward County who dominated the scoring front while Northeastern was unable to find the same success at the plate from game one. The Lady Saints started strong with three runs driven in to take a 3-0 lead that became a 7-0 advantage in the third as Brooklyn Castagnetta popped one out to left field to drive in Odell that dominoes into another three RBIs for the green and white. The Plainswomen scored their first and only run of the game in the top of the fourth which Gomez answered by batting in Morgan for another score while Odell stole home off an NJC error to improve their lead to 12-1 and force another run rule with the Lady Saints on the winning side for game two.

Seward County now improves to 3-1 on the 2024 season after splitting the doubleheader against Northeastern to close opening week. They will now be on the road over their next twelve games beginning Tuesday when they head to Frank Phillips for a doubleheader with game times scheduled for 1 and 3 PM CST.