Scott City baseball sweeps Spearville

Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Battling the western Kansas wind isn’t unusual for teams in the region. However, battling 40-50 mph winds can be more of a challenge. That, coupled with blowing of dust is what Scott City and Spearville played through on Thursday at Scott City’s home opener of the season. The Beavers would come out with a pair of wins, taking a 10-0 and a 10-4 win over the Lancers.

Scott City 10, Spearville 0, Game 1 (5 Inn.)
The first game of the afternoon saw the Beaver defense make solid plays, while the offense would separate themselves from Spearville late. Scott City went up 1-0 in the first inning, thanks to Brady Welker’s inside-the-park home run. Following a scoreless second inning, the Beavers went yard in the third, off the bat of JP Harris, who’s two-run home run made it 3-0. He would highlight a six-run fourth inning with his second home run of the day, a three-run shot. Scott City added one more run in the fifth, as Zach Roberts drove in Eloy Ruelas to make the final 10-0 in five innings, due to the run rule.

Lawson Bailey scattered three hits and two walks, with eight k’s through five innings to get the win. JP Harris had five RBI and Brady Welker and Zach Roberts drove in two runs apiece.

Adyn Ruiz was unable to get out of the fourth inning, going 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs, four earned, on eight hits.

Scott City 10, Spearville 4, Game 2
It would be a game that was filled with errors, as both teams finished with four. In the end, it was the hitting of Scott City that would be the difference. The Lancers struck first on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at third base in the first inning, as they took the early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, the Beavers took advantage of a pair of Spearville mistakes to tie the game at two. In that inning, Brady Welker closed the scoring with a two-run home run over the left center field fence to give the Beavers the lead for good. It was his second homer of the day. Scott City added a run in the fourth to extend the lead at 4-2. In the fifth inning, the Lancers would make things interesting, scoring on a Beaver error to pull to within 5-4. Timely defense would end the rally, as Scott City scored three runs in the fifth, and added two insurance runs in the sixth to take a 10-4 win.

Lawson Bailey threw two-plus innings before being pulled to to his pitch count for the day. He got the win, striking out three and allowing one hit. Spencer Cramer recorded his four outs by strikeout, and gave up two unearned runs. Eloy Ruelas gave up a pair of unearned runs in the fifth, but settle down and struck out four, while allowing three hits. Zach Roberts had two hits, while Brady Welker and Eloy Ruelas drove in two runs for the Beavers.

For Spearville Noah Huff took the loss, allowing five runs, all unearned, on four hits, with six strikeouts in three-plus innings of work. Jarrett Kliesen had two hits and two RBI in game two for the Lancers.