Saints falter at Cowley in Game One of opening round playoffs

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Seward County Community College baseball team suffered an 11-1 run-rule loss in eight innings at Cowley Community College in the opening game of the first-round of the Region VI playoffs. The teams play the second game of the best two-out of-three series at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The Saints fell behind early, trailed by six runs after two innings and never recovered. Cowley scored four times in the first inning taking advantage of two hit batters, two walks, a two-run double and a two-run single. The Tigers added to their lead in the second inning without getting a hit. Seward pitching hit five batters to account for two runs and help Cowley open up a 6-0 advantage.

The Saints had their best scoring chance in the fourth inning when Ryan Todd and Brooks Barber singled to start things off and put runners on first and second. After a strikeout and fly out, Kaden Juarez singled to load the bases and Colton Rowan drove in Todd to make the score 6-1. It was the lone run of the game for Seward, which could not capitalize further.

Cowley scored four more times in the sixth inning and ended the game with a run in the eighth for the 11-1 run-rule victory.

Kotaro Wakui and Todd each had two hits to lead the Saints.