Game one started with a bang for the Lady Saints, quite literally, as Jullian Atteberry crushed a two run home run in the bottom of the 1st to put Seward ahead 2-0 right away.
Dodge got on the board with a run in the top of the 3rd, but Seward answered as Leena Mortensen lined a two run double to left to push the Lady Saints lead back to 4-1.
Neither side was able to push a runner past second for the next three innings as the game zoomed to the 7th with the score still 4-1.
It should have been a 1-2-3 inning to close out the game for the Lady Saints in the 7th, but a two out error extended the inning and Dodge City took advantage, banging back to back run scoring hits to get back to within one at 4-3. With the tying run in scoring position and the go ahead run at the plate, Lady Saints starter Monique Ashley came up with her biggest strikeout of the day, whiffing a pinch hitter to close out the 4-3 win for Seward in game one.
Each side had just five hits in the contest, but it was the five combined errors that were the story as Seward’s two mistakes led to all three of Dodge City’s runs while three Conq errors allowed the Lady Saints to score a pair of unearned tallies in the one run game. Atteberry and Mortensen combined for three of Seward’s five hits in the game and had all four runs driven home. Ashley earned her 17th win of the year in the circle, going the distance while allowing just five hits and three unearned runs and striking out seven without a walk.
SEWARD COUNTY/DODGE CITY GAME ONE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2016-17/boxscores/20170325_stpk.xml>
Dodge City took their first lead of the day in the 1st inning of game two, plating a run on a single and a pair of wild pitches to take an early 1-0 advantage.
Seward answered immediately as Atteberry singled with one out in the bottom of the inning and Mortensen blasted a two run shot over the center field wall to give the Lady Saints a 2-1 lead.
A double steal by the Conqs in the 2nd tied the game at two, but it didn’t stay tied long as Atteberry unloaded on her second bomb of the day, this time a three run shot to put the Lady Saints back in front 5-2.
Seward blew the game wide open in the 3rd as AJ Cuellar started things off with an RBI single to make it 6-2 and Mortensen cleared the bases with a double to push the lead to 9-2. A Dodge City error allowed a run to score to make it a 10-2 game and Paige St. Pierre doubles home Seward’s sixth run of the inning to take an 11-2 lead after three.
The Lady Saints made it a 12-2 game in the 4th and were an out away from securing the run rule win in the 5th before the Conqs got their swing on, exploding for five runs in the inning to slice the Lady Saints lead in half at 12-7.
Ashley came out of the Seward bullpen and didn’t allow anything else to the Conqs, striking out the side in the 7th to finish off a 13-7 win for the Lady Saints while securing her first career save with Seward.
Seward banged out 18 hits in the win including three each from Jordan Garrison, Atteberry, and Mortensen at the top of the order while the three combined for seven runs scored and eight RBI’s for the Lady Saints. Sydney Epp earned the win in the circle, pitching into the 5th while allowing eight hits and seven runs to go to 3-2 on the year while Ashley pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings while striking out four to earn her first save.
SEWARD COUNTY/DODGE CITY GAME TWO BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/sball/2016-17/boxscores/20170325_wy6v.xml>
Seward earns their 31st win of the season in the game two victory, improving to 31-12 overall and 6-2 in Jayhawk West play with the sweep. Dodge City drops to 16-10 overall and 4-6 in league action with the defeats.
The Lady Saints will take a day off before returning home on Monday afternoon to Lady Saints Field in Liberal when they take on the rival Garden City Broncbusters in a 2:00 doubleheader.
