By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
Seaman softball did not let getting outscored 24-4 in a doubleheader loss to Class 6A No. 3-ranked Washburn Rural last Friday rattle them.
Aspen Burgardt picked up a complete-game pitching victory in Seaman's 11-1 Senior Day win over Topeka High Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Instead, four days later the Vikings (7-6) responded with an 11-1 romp past Topeka High (3-7) on Tuesday night, completing a season sweep of the Trojans.
“Just very proud of our kids, that shows character, having a short memory, we talk about that all the time asking, ‘What’s our next best action?’ and they did a nice job tonight doing that,” said Seaman coach Jay Monhollon
Senior Aspen Burgardt tossed all five innings for the Vikings, allowing only one run on four hits and was recognized after the game as the only senior on Seaman’s 12-player varsity roster.
“Not only is she a great athlete but she’s a great person,” Monhollon said. “It’s easy to support her and encourage her to be successful. And she’s going to be successful in life just because she’s got high character.”
Burgardt had a strong showing of run support to pick up her Senior Day victory with the Vikings scoring nine runs in the third and fourth innings.
To get things started though Seaman scored two runs in the second inning on doubles from juniors Jersey Jellison and Paige Glasgow, the second scoring a run. Gracie Moe singled to score Glasgow.
Sophomore Kaelyn O'Rourke hit a two-run home run in Seaman's 11-1 win over Topeka High Tuesday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
The Vikings picked up six hits in the third inning, five singles and a two-run home run from sophomore Kaelyn O’Rourke to complete the five-run inning.
Sophomore Montgomerie Freel hit a home run to lead Topeka High in an 11-1 loss at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Topeka High got its only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run by sophomore Montgomerie Freel over the left field wall. The other three hits for the Trojans were all singles.
Seaman scored its final four runs on three hits and one error in the field in the top of the fourth inning. Burgardt retired Topeka High in the fifth to complete the run rule in 75 minutes and give the Vikings a winning record once again.
“We’re just trying to be consistent. If we can just build on what we did today on Friday and then take that into next week,” Monhollon said. “The season is getting close to the end and getting close to the postseason, so we need to fine-tune some things and just be a little more consistent as we move forward.”
No Trojans reached base more than one time as Topeka High falls after returning from a layoff. Seaman picked up 12 hits to score its 11 runs. Junior Josie Hefner joined Moe, O’Rourke, Glasgow and Jellison in having two-hit games.
SEAMAN 9, TOPEKA HIGH 5
Topeka High (3-7) 000 10 -- 1 4 1
Seaman (7-6) 025 4X -- 11 12 2
W – Burgardt. L - Scheaffer. 2B – Seaman: Burgardt, Jellison, Glasgow. HR – Seaman: O’Rourke. Topeka High: Freel.
