After dropping a pair of games to No. 1 Eastern Arizona College last Tuesday, the Lady Saints bounced back with a non-conference doubleheader sweep over South Mountain.
Seward didn’t waste time in game one scoring 11 runs in the first inning. Freshman Cara Russell earned the win in the circle for the Lady Saints by scattering nine hits and striking out three batters. Rachel Adaza went 5-for-6 with four runs scored, two doubles and three RBI to lead Seward County. Sophomore Lindsay Garchinski (3-for-6, four runs scored, two RBI) and Alyssa Fandrick (2-for-5, two RBI, home run) also paced the Lady Saints’ 19-hit offensive attack. The game was a bit unusual as both teams combined to record 19 fielding errors.
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Jennifer Collins
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Melissa St. Clair
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Auger posted a seven-inning complete game in the nightcap against South Mountain. The freshman righty struck out eight batters while allowing three runs (no earned runs) and eight base hits. Sophomore Jennifer Collins went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a double for SCCC. The Lady Saints were also led offensively by Jamie Gilbert (2-for-4, stolen base) and Melissa St. Clair (2-for-4).
Seward County then competed in the Central Arizona College Tournament on Friday, which was their final day of competition in Phoenix. The Lady Saints ran up against some of the top teams in the nation facing three nationally-ranked opponents.
In their first contest against Phoenix College, Seward County posted only four hits in the eight-inning run-rule affair. Phoenix College was led by starting pitcher Patricia Moreno, who struck out 12 Lady Saint batters. Gilbert, Garchinski, Collins and St. Clair were the only SCCC hitters with a base hit.
Auger set the all-time Seward County record for single-season strikeouts after collecting 10 strikeouts against Central Arizona in the 11 a.m. game on Friday morning. Auger broke the record previously held by Becky Holland, who struck out 130 batters during her freshman season in 2005.
The pitching performance of Auger wasn’t enough as Central Arizona pitcher Xiaoxue Chang limited the Lady Saints to two base hits in the seven-inning game.
Pima C.C. out-hit the Lady Saints 11-5 in the final game in Phoenix. Collins and St. Clair hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning to give Seward County its only runs of the game. Russell was the losing pitcher (4.2 IP, 10 H, 2 ER) while Auger pitched 2.1 innings in relief.
Seward County is now set to play 14 games during the next 12 days, with Jayhawk West/Division I Region VI games and four games of non-conference competition. The Lady Saints will start with a Jayhawk West Conference and Region VI doubleheader on Wednesday, March 26, on the road against Garden City Community College (12-5, 1-1) at 3 p.m.
