Scott City Baseball Splits With Liberal, Softball Sweeps SW Heights

Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Scott City’s baseball and softball team hosted a pair of Seward County schools on Monday in games that were rescheduled from April 9. For the baseball team, the Beavers were able to salvage a split, with a 6-5 loss in game one on a controversial ending, and bounce back for a 9-2 on senior day against Liberal. The Lady Beavers softball team earned not only their first doubleheader sweep of the year, but their first two victories with wins of 12-9 and 13-11 over Southwestern Heights.

In the first baseball game of the day, the Beavers were able to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Liberal answered back with two to tie the game, and that’s how it would be heading into the fifth inning. The Redskins got all the runs they needed for the victory, crossing home four times, and held that lead going into the bottom of the seventh. A Scott City rally took place, as the Beavers collected five hits and cut the Liberal lead to one at 6-5. A controversial call would end the game with the next batter. With one out and runners on first and third, Tyler Hess hit a ground ball to second baseman Sylman Pando. He would fumble the ball briefly and flipped it over to shortstop Jared Hosik for the forceout at second, and Hosik was unable to throw the ball to first base to complete the double play. Austin Habiger went home from third base, and Hess was safe at first. The field umpire would call Hess out due to runner interference by courtesy runner Hunter Braun, and that ended the game with a Redskin one-run victory. Devin Eggleston took the loss for Scott City in his first start of the season. He went the distance, allowing six runs, two earned, on six hits. Hosik got the win for Liberal, going 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and struck out seven. Christian Hernandez picked up the save. The Beavers outhit the Redskins 10-6, as Juanito Rodriguez had three hits and Habiger drove in two runs.

Game two of the doubleheader was less dramatic, as Scott City dominated from the word go. After giving up a run on two hits in the top of the first, the Beavers would go to bat in the bottom of the inning, and come up with six runs on six hits. They would tack on three more runs in the second inning to lead 9-1. Liberal scored their final run of the game in the top of third, as both teams went scoreless the rest of the way. Scott City played an error free game, after committing four in the first game. They also collected 12 hits, and had at least one hit in each of their first five at bats. Sloan Baker went all seven innings on the mound to pick up his first win of the year in his first start. He scattered seven Redskin hits, gave up two runs and struck out five. Liberal used three pitchers, as Alberto Aldaz took the loss, lasting just 1/3 of an inning, and was responsible for Scott City’s first five runs. Devyn Eggleston and Keigun Wells had two hits and two rbi for the Beavers. Juanito Rodgriguez and Austin Habiger also had two hit games for Scott City.

For the softball team, it turned out to be a special day. Playing in their first of three home doubleheaders this week, the Lady Beavers started the week off in the right direction. Game one saw Scott City score the first seven runs of the game, putting up three in the first and four in the second to lead 7-1 after the first two innings. Southwestern Heights would make one big push with five in the fourth to tie the game, but the Lady Beavers responded with two in the bottom of the inning and three in the fifth to hold on for their first win of the season. Scott City also had 15 hits in the game, three from Kelsey Kuckelman. She helped her cause in the circle, scattering nine runs on 11 hits to pick up the victory.

In game two, it was a back and forth game between the Lady Mustangs and the Lady Beavers. Trailing 11-10 in the fifth inning, Scott City scored the go ahead runs with three of them to complete the sweep. Nicole Latta had five rbi in and four hits in the win. She started the game for the Lady Beavers, but was relieved in the third inning by Kelsey Kuckelman. Kuckelman would get the win, pitching 4 2/3 of relief.

After Monday, Scott City’s baseball team is 6-6, and will play at Ulysses Tuesday. Liberal is 7-9. In softball, the Lady Beavers are 2-14, while Southwestern Heights dropped to 6-10. Scott City’s girls will host Ulysses Tuesday.