TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn struggled to slow a Newman offense in the home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 23, falling 15-5 at Falley Field.
 
WU (4-4) had nine hits in the game as a team but allowed 19 hits.  Zane Mapes and Kyle Carnahan each had two hits (including one double apiece) while Riley Krane had a three-run home run in the game.
 
Dan Gabler (1-1) took the loss after pitching 3.1 innings and allowing six runs as Washburn threw seven relievers in the game.
 
Down 3-0 headed for the third, Washburn took the lead briefly with five runs but couldn't sustain the offensive effort throughout.  Payton Soicher led off the inning with a single up the middle before moving to second when Mapes was hit by a pitch before Krane took the first pitch he saw over the right center fence to tie the game.  Parker Gibson continued the rally with a triple to center field, and after Carnahan walked, came home on David Gauntt's sacrifice fly. Carnahan stole second during Lance Barkley's at-bat and moved to third on a ground out before scampering home for WU's fifth run on a wild pitch. 
 
Newman answered with four runs in the fourth, however, to regain the lead for good.
 
Washburn opens MIAA play this weekend, Feb. 26-28, with a three-game series at Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo.