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Brianna Rich

Sliding into home is Paris Brienesse, a freshman from Stockholm, Sweden. Brienesse received two runs in the second game, which now brings her to 27 runs overall.

Seward County Community College Softball played Hutchinson’s #15 ranked team in the nation but did not go down without a fight. The Saints are now 23-23 on the year and 14-16 in the conference. 

The softball team started their first game with contact to the ball and a great number of fly-outs by Ashley Low, an out-fielder, and back-to-back outs to end the top of the third.

“Offense was the best thing about the first game because we hit very well and because of the wind, a lot of things were not falling, but we still had some hard hits,” Cassidy Webb, the head coach said.

By the top of the second, Hutch led 0-2, however, the Saints kept Hutch at two until the top of the fifth. 

The Saints lost 0-4 in the first game but came back in the second game with hits, double-plays and quick runs. 

The second game began with Molly Adams, a pitcher, starting in the circle and Macy-Cesa Spearman, an outfielder, led off with a walk to first base.

In the top of the third, Hutch hit a grand slam, which put them in the lead, 0-4, however, it only boosted the energy and focus of the Lady Saints. 

“They always bring the energy whether they are up by 20 or down by 20, they never give up,” Coach Webb said.

In the bottom of the fourth, Tatum Winters, an infielder, hit a single on a ground ball, which brought home Ashanti Thompson, a pitcher who was pinch-running for Shyanna Stopp, an infielder. Vivien Gabehart, the first baseman, scored on a passed ball, while Winters advanced to third and Paris Brienesse, the second baseman, advanced to second on the same pitch. 

After Beth Denney, an infielder, hit 6 foul balls, she doubled on a line drive, bringing Winters and Brienesse home, tying the game 4-4. 

“Beth Denney most definitely led the game today because she was the reason most of the scoring even happened,” said Maddie Pack, the third-baseman. “I know that when she is on the field, she has got my back no matter what.”  

In the bottom of the sixth, Spearman hit a double, bringing home Brienesse. Denney grounded out, bringing Spearman home for another run in the bottom of the sixth. Entering the top of the seventh, the score was tied 6-6. 

“We had nothing to lose going into this game. We had a lot more fight and energy going into this game than Hutch, which is what helped us play as competitive as we did,” Denney said. 

A score by Hutch in the top of the seventh and back-to-back outs in the bottom of the seventh led to a loss for Seward with a score of 6-7. 

“We played harder, so it makes it hard to even be mad about that game, but overall, I am just super proud of our girls today,” said Webb. 

The Lady Saints will take the field again at Colby on Saturday against the Trojans with the first pitch starting at 2 p.m. Some players believe that with the amount of competitiveness, this past double-header will prepare them for a victory against the Trojans.