By Jevyn Voss

Crusader Staff

Seward County baseball traveled to Cavalier Field for a doubleheader against the Dodge City Conquistadors on Feb. 25 and left with a split result of 1-1.

The doubleheader originally scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1 was pushed up to Wednesday due to potential inclement weather. The weather still played a key role in the game as both teams battled through 52 degree temperatures and 22 mile per hour winds.

The first game of the afternoon was tightly contested as neither team scored until the top of the fifth inning when the Conqs scored a single run. The run was the result of a hit to left center by Dodge City’s centerfielder Johnny Balsamo that allowed left fielder Hayden Simmons to run in the single score.

Sophomore Pitcher JB Olson pitched all seven innings on for game one. Olson faced 28 batters and finished the game with five strikeouts while committing an error and allowing seven hits and one run.

The result of the first game between the Saints and Conquistadors was a 0-1 loss for Seward County.

Game two followed suit with the previous game as scoring was minimal until late in the game and the weather stayed consistent with the temperature in the low 50s and winds higher than 20 miles per hour.

First blood wasn’t drawn until the top of the eighth inning when Dodge City centerfield scored off of a Colbey Madewell single up the middle. Seward was unable to answer until the bottom of the ninth inning.

Seward County freshman right fielder Justin Graff-Rowe was the first Saint to score after freshman catcher Josh Nicol got a hit and was tagged out at first base. This run tied the game up 1-1 at the bottom of the ninth.

The tenth and final inning of game two brought the majority of the scoring as the Conqs scored one run at the top of the inning and the Saints answered with two of their own.

Dodge City scored off of a Balsamo run after Leno Ramirez got a hit and reached first following a fielding error by Seward second baseman Jared Ledbetter.

Seward had the opportunity to answer and win the game in the bottom of the tenth inning and they did exactly that. A Brent Williams double to right center field allowed for sophomore short stop Alex White to advance from first base to second and sophomore center fielder Brandon Urquizo to score the first run of the inning.

The second score of the bottom of the tenth came after Graff-Rowe singled to center field while the bases were loaded. Graff-Rowe’s single allowed for White to score the winning run.

Seward finished the windy afternoon on Cavalier field with a 1-1 record for the day bringing the overall record to 5-8. Seward County is scheduled to be in action on March 10 on Brent Gould Field in Liberal for a doubleheader to finish the series against Dodge City at 2:00.