Baseball Wins Series 3-1 Over Otero

LIBERAL, Kan. – Seward baseball hosted the Otero Rattlers for a four-game series over the weekend at Brent Gould Field, taking the series 3-1 with a Friday sweep and a Saturday split.

The Saints are now 6-12 overall and host NOC-Enid on Tuesday for a midweek matchup at 2 p.m. Conference play begins Thursday when Seward travels to Barton for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The Cougars then visit Liberal on Saturday for two more games, starting at 1 p.m.

Game 1: Seward 14, Otero 4 (5 inn.)
Seward scored 14 runs on 15 hits in the opener. Otero jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first, but the Saints answered with two runs in the second and added four in each of the next three innings to outscore the Rattlers 14-0 over the final four frames.

Ryan Todd drove in five, finishing 3-3 with a two-run triple and three-run homer. Isai Santaella went 2-4 with two doubles and two runs, while Blaine Chancy homered twice in a 2-3 effort. Brooks Kappelmann (W, 1-2) earned the win, allowing one earned run on four hits over 3.2 innings with four strikeouts and one walk. Braden Whipple tossed 1.1 scoreless, hitless innings to close.

Game 2: Seward 11, Otero 7 (9 inn.)
Otero led 6-0 in the top of the sixth, but Seward rallied for 10 runs over the sixth and seventh innings to take a 10-6 lead after seven. David Brabb went 4-5 with three RBIs, while Grant Cox (2-4) and Juan Alvarez (2-4) added multi-hit efforts. Hayden Ramage drove in two runs off the bench.

Michael Lujan pitched 5.0 innings, allowing one run with seven strikeouts and three walks. Cooper Turner (W, 1-0) earned the win, allowing a single run over 2.1 innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

Game 3: Otero 10, Seward 8 (7 inn.)
Seward's only loss of the series came in game three. Otero's seven-run fifth inning turned a 3-2 deficit into a 10-2 lead. The Saints added six runs in the final two innings but fell short.

Grant Cox went 3-3 with one RBI and a run, while Blaine Chancy added 3-3 with two runs, two RBIs and a homer. Cross Durham (L, 0-3) allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits over four innings with four walks and a strikeout. Trajan Chavez relieved with three innings, surrendering one run.

Game 4: Seward 17, Otero 0 (7 inn.)
The Saints dominated from the start, scoring 11 first-inning runs. Jhett Huffman, Grant Cox, Cooper Turner and Mason Gilbert each recorded multi-hit games, with Cox driving in three.

Beau Lang (W, 1-1) threw six shutout innings with two strikeouts and two walks. John Langehennig closed in the seventh for the shutout.