TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods were swept in a pair of close games by MIAA front-runners Pittsburg State falling 3-1 and 5-4 in eight innings on Saturday at the Washburn Softball Complex.

Game 1 Pittsburg State 3, Washburn 1
Washburn scored in the first inning on a solo home run by Cassidy Merriman but the Ichabods were limited to two more hits the rest of the way in a 3-1 loss. 
Merriman had one other hit and Taylor Zimmerman had the other for the Ichabods.
THe Gorillas scored solo runs in the second, third and fourth innings for the 3-1 win.
Emmie Robertson struck out eight Ichabods while walking one improving to 12-5 on the season. For Washburn Lauren Thimmesch fell to 12-3 overall after giving up two earned runs striking out three.

Game 2 - Pittsburg State 5, Washburn 4
After the Gorillas scored three in the top of the third inning, the Ichabods (18-13, 6-6 MIAA) scored three in the bottom of the inning taking advantage of a Gorilla error. Taylor Zimmerman hit a 2-RBI double to right field scoring Merriman and Thimmesch who reached on an error. Kristen Bell's sac fly scored Jordan Erickson to tie the score.
Neither team would score until the top of the eighth inning when the Gorillas (20-10, 9-1 MIAA) scored a pair of runs on a 2-run double by Jordan Bradshaw. Washburn scored one in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by Erickson scoring Sierra Kemp, but left runners at the corners falling 5-4.
The Ichabods recorded 10 hits in the night camp with two coming from Quimby, Merriman and Zimmerman.
Thimmesch took the loss pitching all eight innings striking out five allowing three earned runs. Emmie Robertson pitched 5 1/3 innings in relief improving to 13-5.

The Ichabods will return to action on April 1 against Arkansas Tech in a pair of non-conference games at the Washburn Softball Complex.