Saturday April 11, 2015— Alexa O’Brien did what no other pitcher has done in the history of Seward County softball; she pitched a perfect game.
After getting swept in a double-header the Friday before against Otero Junior College, the Lady Saints went into their next game with the mentality of having a clean slate ahead of them.
From the the first inning with Lamar, O’Brien knew that her team was behind her and they made the first three runs of the game.
Holding momentum steady, Seward stretched the lead on Lamar 4-0 in the second, and then 7-0 in the third with RBIs from Danielle Orr and Joe Ann Rapoza.
By the end of the third inning, the Lady Saints had worked up a 10-0 lead against their opponents, leaving Lamar with no chance of catching up.
Kennedy Brunson hit another run for the Lady Saints, putting them up yet another point with a score of 11-0.
O’Brien made it through the fourth and fifth innings of the game, striking out every batter at the plate. It was over in only five innings; Seward swept Lamar 13-0.
O’Brien struck out eight batters and retired all 15 batters that came up to the plate.
The Lady Saints offense backed O’Brien with 17 hits, and all nine starters whipped out hits.
The matter of a perfectly pitched game, explained O’Brien, is that it was a team effort. “My team really had me going,” O’Brien said, never taking full credit for Lamar’s lack of runs.
O’Brien had never put much thought into the possibility of pitching a scoreless game. “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
As a sophomore, O’Brien looks forward to graduating and
continuing her studies in nursing, but has yet to decide were she wants to go to school next.
When she’s not at the mound pitching, O’Brien enjoys playing sand volleyball with her team- mates and reading when she gets the chance.
Back home in Pampa, Texas, O’Brien spends a majority of her time with family and friends and playing some softball.
O’Brien also shared that her athletic career has a lot to do with the support that she has always received from her parents, Ray and Lori O’Brien.
Starting her in T-ball, Alexa grew up around softball most of her life, and eventually played in high school as well.
It was then that softball became her favorite sport, and since then she has been pitching and only getting better.
Alexa’s younger sister, Allie, also seems to be following in the athletic footsteps of her older sister, but not in softball.
“She’s 14 and she runs track,”
Alexa said, “but I think she’s more into volleyball.”
Alexa also reflected on her season with the Lady Saints, and didn’t hide the fact that their season has been rough.
Alexa had hoped the team would come together in the Region VI games, but that didn’t happen.
Going into Region VI Quarterfinals against Garden City Community College, the Lady Saints stood 32-23 overall. Unfortunately, Seward could not outrun the Lady Busters and lost 6-4, and later lost to Butler in the Region VI Tournament, 13-5.
Seward was outhit by Butler 11-7 in their loss, with two hits made by Kennedy Brunson and yet another two hits by Joe Ann Rapoza.
The Lady Saints finished their season 36-25 overall. Six Seward players were named to the All- Jayhawk team —Vanessa Oakden, Jaidyn Mawhinney, Jaclyn Wagner, Danielle Orr, Joe Ann Rapoza and Kolby Hamilton.