Seward Races Past Tetons

The Seward County Lady Saints used lightning fast speed from slappers Kennedy Brunson and Taylor Kathler to steal seven bases and got solid pitching efforts from Kelley Kearney and Jaidyn Mawhinney to give them 9-3 and 3-2 wins over visiting Williston State from North Dakota Friday afternoon at Lady Saints Field in Liberal.

Seward got on the board first in the first game of the doubleheader, using a Williston error and RBI groundout from Kristyna Garcia to take an early 2-0 lead after one.

Williston State struck back in their half of the 3rd, scoring three runs on just two hits to take their first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.

The Lady Saints answered in the 4th as Jaidyn Mawhinney singled to right field to drive home a run and another Teton error allowed a second run to score on the play to make it 4-3 Seward.

Back to back doubles from Venice Batts and Hannah Clark in the 5th extended the Lady Saints lead to 5-3 and they blew the game open with a four run 6th, highlighted by a two run single from Callie Silvers-Harnley to make it a 9-3 game.

Kelley Kearney would do the rest in the circle, working around a two out Seward error behind her in the 7th to shut the door on the Tetons and collect a 9-3 win for the Lady Saints.

Seward outhit Williston 12-3 in the contest and the Tetons made 4 errors leading to 6 unearned Lady Saint runs. Every Lady Saint starter had a hit in the win including Hannah Lopez, Kennedy Brunson, and Venice Batts who each collected a pair. Kearney struck out a career high 11 in the win, allowing just 3 hits and 2 earned runs to improve to 6-5 on the year.

SEWARD COUNTY/WILLISTON STATE GAME ONE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2015-16/boxscores/20160311_coez.xml>

In game two Seward jumped in front again in the bottom half of the 1st, this time because of the speed of Brunson who singled to begin the game and then stole second and scored on an single from Lopez to put the Lady Saints on top 1-0.

In the 2nd inning it was speed again manufacturing a Seward run as Taylor Kathler reached on a one out bunt hit, stole second and scored on a Brunson single to right with outs to make it 2-0.

Jaidyn Mawhinney kept the Tetons in check early on, pitching a shutout to the 5th to keep it a 2-0 game in favor of the Lady Saints.

In the Seward half of the 5th, it was again wheels getting the job done for the Lady Saints as for the second time in the game, Brunson singled, stole second, and came home on an RBI from Lopez to make it 3-0.

Williston State finally got on the board in the 6th with a pair of runs to cut the Seward lead to 3-2, but Mawhinney limited the damage to just two to keep the Lady Saints in front by one.

Seward couldn’t add any insurance runs in the bottom of the inning, but they wouldn’t need it as Mawhinney worked a 1-2-3 7th for the Lady Saints, slamming the door on the Tetons to give Seward the sweep with a 3-2 win.

Each team had 7 hits in the contest, 5 of the 7 Seward hits coming off the bats of Brunson and Kathler who were a perfect 5 for 5 with 5 stolen bases in the win. Brunson and Kathler scored all 3 of Seward’s run in the win while Lopez drove home 2 with a 1 for 2 game. Mawhinney dealt her best game of the season, going the distance while scattering 7 Williston hits, allowing just 2 runs to improve to 3-6 on the year.

SEWARD COUNTY/WILLISTON STATE GAME TWO BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2015-16/boxscores/20160311_vxqe.xml>

The Lady Saints sweep their second doubleheader in three outings, improving to 9-17 on the year while Williston drops to 2-4 in their third out of the season.

Next up for Seward is their annual trip to Arizona for Spring Break. The Lady Saints will take on Dawson from Montana on Tuesday in Phoenix followed by a doubleheader with South Mountain on Thursday.

Roy Allen