By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
After taking a narrow 1-0 loss in Game 1, Seaman got its bats going in the second game to take an 11-4 victory and earn a Centennial League split with Manhattan Friday at Optimist Field.
Game 1 was a pitcher's duel between Manhattan’s Cade Perkins and Seaman’s Bryson Vawter, with the Indians making a third-inning run hold up for the win.
Vawter, a junior, had a stellar day for the Vikings, allowing just four hits while striking struck out eight batters.
“I felt great today and I felt like things were going to go well early on,” said Vawter, who was making his second start. “In both games, I felt great. I’ve pitched six innings in both games and I think that my stuff is getting better, the more I pitch. Giving up two runs combined in my last two starts is pretty good for me.”
Perkins, meanwhile, would work a complete-game shutout for Manhattan. Perkins allowed just one hit and struck out 13 Vikings in his stellar season debut.
“Getting ahead in the count against Seaman was big for me tonight,” Perkins said. “Before the season, my goal was to always get ahead against batters and not fall behind in the count against anybody.
“With the bullpens and the practices that we have had, I felt like my pitch control is really good.''
The two starters from Manhattan and Seaman combined for 21 strikeouts, so the offense wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard.
Seaman and Manhattan were all tied up until Braden Dinkel hit a double in the top of the third, bringing one run home to break the 0-0 tie and giving the Indians the lead.
After Dinkel’s RBI, Vawter and Perkins would create headaches for the batters. Nobody had an answer for either starter after Dinkel.
“(Perkins) was just dominant today,'' Manhattan coach Luke Snyder said. “Cade was exceptional. He continues to get better with every outing. Today was great for us and him. The game took about an hour and 15 minutes so you knew that it was a well-pitched game by both sides.”
“(Perkins) and Vawter pitched great today,” Seaman coach Trent Oliva said. “Manhattan was able to get a couple of more hits than us at the end, but I thought our defense was pretty good. Our guys were competing well in the first game, we just weren’t able to come out on top.”
Game 2 was the exact opposite of game one.
The Seaman offense regrouped after by putting up 11 runs on the board.
“The topic in between games was being more aggressive at the plate,” Oliva said. I thought we did a pretty good job putting the ball in play in the second game. There is some room for improvement, but it was a good showing by our guys.”
Seaman’s offense was able to score at least one run in five straight innings, forcing Manhattan to go deep into the bullpen.
“We stubbed our toe in the second game,” Snyder said. “I think our guys understood that there was some disappointment in our defense. We were able to outhit (Seaman), but we had four errors. The errors are not a characteristic of how we normally play defense.”
The Indians started off hot in the first inning. Three straight singles from Dinkel, Perkins and Jaxon Vikander set up Manhattan for two runs.
Seaman would capitalize on Manhattan’s early defensive mistakes in the bottom of the first inning.
The Vikings collected a three-run first inning with two hits. Manhattan gave up three walks and an error which gave the Vikings the momentum. Seaman would also force a pitching change in the first inning.
From that point on, the Vikings controlled the game.
Dagen Brewer delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the second, giving the Vikings separation from the Indians.
After giving up two runs in the first inning, Maclane Finley found a rhythm on the mound to help the Vikings build on their lead.
“Our pitching and defense have been really good,” Oliva said. “Our pitchers have been able to do their job and throw strikes. The pitchers have been doing great throwing different types of pitches for strikes consistently. Our defense not giving up errors and our pitchers throwing good pitches will always give us a chance to win.”
Seaman was able to put up back-to-back one-run innings giving the Vikings a five-run lead before the fifth inning.
The Vikings put up four more runs in the bottom of the fifth. A double by Aiden Polter, four walks and an error would allow the Vikings to gain an 11-3 lead.
Manhattan would collect one run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single from PJ Hughes.
Seaman (3-1) will play at De Soto (4-0) on Monday while Manhattan (1-1) will host Topeka High on Tuesday.
First game
MANHATTAN 1, SEAMAN 0
Manhattan 001 000 1 -- 1 4 0
Seaman 000 000 0 – 0 1 1
W -- Perkins (1-0). L – Vawter (1-1). 2B -- Manhattan: Schartz, Dinkel.
Second game
Manhattan 200 001 1 – 4 8 4
Seaman 321 140 X – 11 7 0
W – Finley (2-0). L – Horsman (0-1). 2B -- Manhattan: Bowles, Ginkle. Seaman: Vawter, Polter.
