By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Seaman’s softball team scored 22 runs in 12 combined innings in Friday’s Centennial League doubleheader at Hummer Sports Park.
Seaman shut out Topeka West 11-0 in the first game and won 11-4 in the second game.
Seaman’s two-strike approach worked wonders for the Lady Vikes on Friday.
The Lady Vikes were walked 16 times in both games. Most of the walks were a result of the Vikings being patient when they were in a pitcher’s count.
Seaman senior Rylee Murray reached base eight times in Friday's doubleheader sweep over Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“I thought our kids executed a lot of the things we were working on pretty well,” Seaman coach Jay Monhollon said. “They did well the baserunning and put themselves in good situations to keep advancing us. I was pleased with how our kids came out with great energy as well. Gordy (Ramos) does a great job with (West). They are developing fast and we knew that. (West) is making great strides.”
Seaman outfielder Rylee Murray had an impressive two games on Friday. Murray got on base eight times out of her nine plate appearances. Murray was even able to hit a two-run triple in Game 2, giving Seaman its first extra-base hit of the day.
“It was a battle every time I got up,” Murray said. “Credit to (West), I was down two strikes almost every single time. With the triple, it felt nice that I was able to hit my teammates in. None of this is possible without the people I’m surrounded by.”
Seaman senior Skylar Duncan starred in the pitching circle in both games Friday as the Vikings took a pair of Centennial League wins over Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
One of the key contributors to Seaman’s Friday night success was pitcher Skylar Duncan. Duncan pitched a complete game shutout in Game 1 and sat down six straight batters in the second game, giving the Lady Vikes the sweep.
“I thought I could’ve done better today,” Duncan said. “My teammates were able to hit the ball great tonight. When my teammates are hitting like they did tonight, I really don’t feel any pressure to over-perform.”
In game one’s 11-0 shutout over Topeka West, Seaman kept the game plan simple. Get on base.
The Lady Vikes collected nine hits with 11 runs. Surprisingly, Seaman didn’t collect an extra-base hit in the five-inning effort. That wasn’t necessary.
Brilea Flott led Seaman with three hits, all singles. Murray got on base three times with two walks and a single.
Seaman’s ace, Duncan, only allowed one hit to the Chargers in the first game. Duncan allowed a small number of free passes and trusted her defense by pitching to contact. Duncan didn’t fill up the scorebook with strikeouts, she got the job done by doing the simple things right.
“Offensively and on defense, we struggled in the first game,” Topeka West's Ramos said. “We gave up too many walks and it put a lot of pressure on our defense to do everything perfectly. It wasn’t our best effort in the first game.”
The defense was rock solid from Seaman again in the nightcap, with Aspen Burgardt was in the circle for the Lady Vikes.
Burgardt’s outing lasted five innings. In the five innings, Burgardt allowed four runs and seven hits and only gave up one walk. Like fellow teammate Duncan, Burgardt let her teammates behind her work. Burgardt only struck out two batters, but the outing was still successful.
Although Topeka West lost by seven runs, pitcher Amia Alexander-Sims showed serious poise in the effort. Sims pitched the entire seven-inning game and was able to fan 11 Seaman batters.
A few wild pitches, walks and a few basehits allowed Seaman to get a comfortable seven-run lead before the third inning concluded. Topeka West needed to mount an offensive attack to chip at the large deficit.
Sophomore shortstop Siani Sanchez was a bright spot for Topeka West in Friday's Centennial League twinbill against Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Things were slow for Topeka West until the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore shortstop Siani Sanchez would bring in two runners with a hard hit triple that landed in the centerfield warning track.
“(Sanchez) has improved a lot,” Ramos said. “She is just a sophomore. She does everything we ask her to do. She didn’t have as many hits as we would’ve liked today, but every hit that she did make had an impact on us.
“The sky is truly the limit for that girl.”
Seaman was able to shut the door on Topeka West’s short-lived success with solid pitching from Burgardt and Duncan.
“We have things we want to carry over from tonight and we also have plenty of things to work on,” Monhollon said. “I’d like for us to be even more patient with our plate appearances and we have some stuff to clean up on defense.”
First game
SEAMAN 11, TOPEKA WEST 0
Seaman 320 06X X – 11 9 0
Topeka West 000 00X X – 0 1 4
W – Duncan. L – Stafford.
Second game
Seaman 223 202 0 – 11 6 1
Topeka West 100 030 0 – 4 7 2
W – Burgardt. L – Alexander-Sims. 2B -- Topeka West: Sanchez. 3B -- Seaman: Murray. Topeka West: Sanchez.
