Washburn 9, Pittsburg State 5 | Washburn 11, Missouri Southern 3 | Season Stats

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues opened the the MIAA April Crossover with a pair of wins taking the opener over Pittsburg State 9-5 while winning the nightcap 11-3 in five innings. Washburn will be back in action tomorrow against Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

In the first game of the crossover against Pittsburg State, the Gorillas jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Lady Blues (21-15) were able to take their first at bat, but Washburn scored six runs in the first inning. Lindsey Himpel sinlged and moved to second on a single by Ashley Podschun. Britny Cushing drew a two-out walk and then Lauren Himpel doubled to left center scoring her sister and Podschun. Alex Zordel then singled chasing Cushing home and Lindsey Moore singled scoring Lauren Himpel. Moore then scored on a single to left by Marissa Martin. Washburn then added its final three runs of the game in the second inning. Tish Williams singled and then scored on a home run by Podschun. The run Williams scored was her 176th of her career setting a new career Lady Blues record passing Torrie Beauchamp who scored 175 from 1996 to 1999. Cushing doubled to to center moving Jacque Horejsi to third who would then score on a sac fly by Lauren Himpel. After the double by Himpel, PSU's Hillary Erbert who then retire the next 13 batters to finish the game. Kayla Long evened her record at 10-10 allowing five runs with two stirkeouts. All nine batters in the Lady Blues line up had at least one base hit and Podschun had two while driving in two runs. Lauren Himpel drove in three runs.

In the nightcap against Missouri Southern, Tish Williams led off the game with her 11th home run of the season and the 60th of her career pulling Washburn within one run after the Lions scored two in the top of the frame. Washburn took the lead for good adding four more in the second inning capped by a three-run triple to right center by Lindsey Himpel and Washburn scored two more in the third inning on home runs by Lauren Himpel and Jacque Horejsi. In the fourth inning, Ashley Podschun led off the inning with a home run - her second of the day - and Alex Zordel drove in a pair of runs on a single to left sending in Lauren Mersman and Britny Cushing. Washburn would add one more run in the fifth inning to push the game to the run limit as Podschun scored on a single to left by Cushing. Kortnea Morgan allowed two earned runs while scattering six hits improving to 2-0 on the season. Cushing finished the game with three hits while Podschun, Horejsi, Lauren Himpel and Zordel each had two hits.