Baseball Splits at Lamar to Open 2026 Campaign

LAMAR, Colo. – Seward baseball opened its 2026 season on Sunday afternoon in Lamar, splitting a doubleheader with Lamar Community College.

The Saints (1-1) lost game one 16-2 in five innings before bouncing back with a 17-6 win in seven innings in game two.

The Saints will host Kirkwood CC (ranked No. 18 in NJCAA D2) in a four-game series at Brent Gould Field beginning on Saturday, Feb. 7th, at 1 p.m.

Game 1: Lamar 16, Seward 2 (5 inn.)

Lamar jumped out to a fast start, plating a run in the first and five in the second to lead 6-0. They used a 10-run inning in the fourth to go ahead 16-0 before the Saints used two runs in the fifth to avoid a shutout.

Seward used three pitchers with starter Brooks Kappelmann (L, 0-1) suffering the loss, throwing 1.2 innings and allowing six runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked two while giving up three home runs. Ashton Creighton and Jackson Phillips pitched in relief. Creighton struck out four while Phillips allowed no earned runs. Seven errors hampered the Saints.

Isai Santaella drove in both of Seward's runs on a two-run home run in the fifth.

Game 2: Seward 17, Lamar 6 (7 inn.)

The Saints flipped the script in game two with an offensive explosion. They scored twice at the top of the first to go ahead 2-0 before Lamar used a four-spot in the bottom half to take a 4-2 lead. Seward added a run in the second to make it 4-3 but then used five in the fourth and seven in the sixth to push to the win.

Seward belted five home runs with Juan Alvarez, David Brabb, Grant Cox, Jacob Urias and Mason Gilbert getting in on the action. Santaella finished 2-4 with three runs and two RBI, Alvarez was 2-3 with four runs and three RBI and Brabb drove in four runs.  The Saints hitters worked 10 walks.

Cosme Vera Jr. (W, 1-0) earned the win throwing 2.0 innings in relief. He allowed no earned runs, striking out four and walking one. Armani Ysac and Braden Whipple both had scoreless outings in relief.