Seward Softball Splits Conference Opener
Brock Kappelmann - March 11, 2021 8:53 pm
Kenny Hernandez
Garden City, Kan. – The Lady Saints softball team kicked off their KJCCC campaign with a doubleheader in Garden City against the Broncbusters. Ireland Caro carried the Saints in a 6-2 Game 1 win, then both teams turned up the offense in game 2 with Garden City CC prevailing 8-7.
Ireland Caro took the mound trying to continue her good pitching from her last game, where she only allowed one earned run over 6 innings against the #8 team in the nation. After a leadoff triple for Garden City, Caro locked in, retiring the next seven batters. This gave enough time for the bats to find an early lead, when Ashley Low drove in two runs in the top of the third, scoring Jaci Oakley and Ayanna Clemons.
After Garden City scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the 4th, the Lady Saints offense took over in the top of the 5th. Jaci Oakley started the rally with a double to right field. Emily Mojica followed with another double, putting runners at 2ndand 3rd base. Ayanna Clemons plated both runners with a single to centerfield, giving the Saints a 4-1 lead.
Not to stop the rally, Alondra Galindo added an RBI single scoring Clemons and then Melissa Crisanti finished the rally with a sacrifice fly to give the Saints a 6-1 lead. This was plenty of cushion as Ireland Caro retired nine of the next eleven batters to give her the complete game victory. Caro finished with 7 innings pitched, allowing 1 earned run, striking out 2. Eight batters pitched in by either getting on base or driving in runs. Ayanna Clemons led the way going 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs and another walk.
There was plenty of action on the basepaths in game 2 as the two teams combined for 15 runs and 24 hits. Garden City jumped out early notching two runs in the bottom of the first after back-to-back singles from the top of the lineup. After allowing another run in the bottom of the 2nd, the Saints offense came to life, scoring a run in every inning from there on out.
It all began with an RBI single by Jacie Scott to score Alondra Galindo to make it 3-1 Garden City. In the top of the 4th, the Saints added another run on a fielder’s choice groundball by Ashley Low, scoring Ayanna Clemons, getting the Saints back within 2 runs at 4-2. After shutting down the Broncbuster bats in the bottom of the 4th, Jacie Scott plated Macy Cesa-Spearman. Unfortunately, Scott got caught in a pickle, because Jaci Oakley smashed a home run in her at bat to tie the game 4.
In the bottom of the 5th, Garden City responded with three runs to take a 7-4 lead ent4ering the 6th frame. But these Lady Saints were not ready to give up the fight. After an error allowed AJ Luna to advance to third, Ashley Low provided another fielder’s choice RBI. Alondra Galindo followed with a single to bring up Reagan Watt to the plate. She was able to push over Galindo to second, which was big as Cesa-Spearman followed with a single to score Galindo, 7-6 Garden entering the bottom of the 6th.
After two quick outs on the Broncbusters, Powley got on base for Garden City. After a pinch runner, Garden City was able to score the insurance run on an error to make the score 8-6 Garden City. This insurance saved the game for Garden, as the Saints scored again in the top of the 7th when Jaci Oakleycrossed the plate on a groundball to short.
In-game 2, 5 hitters each got 2 hits, with Jacie Oakley notching 6 total bases and Jacie Scott and Ashley Low each providing two RBIs. Alyssa Pontoja took the loss on the mound, pitching 6 innings and allowing 5 earned runs. The Lady Saints fall to 2-6 on the year and 1-1 in conference play. The Lady Saints will make their home debut against Independence CC on Monday, with game times at 1 pm and 3 pm.
For more information on the Lady Saints Softball team, go to www.sewardsaints.com
