ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Washburn Baseball had 13 hits as a team and used a complete game effort from its starting pitcher to knock off Missouri Western, 11-2, in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Washburn improved to 6-4 on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA with the win.
Nick Silva (1-0) threw all nine innings in the win, allowing two runs (one earned) with only one walk allowed and four strikeouts while facing just five over the minimum.
David Gauntt had two home runs and a walk en route to a 2-for-4 performance with three RBI, recording his fourth two-home run game of his career. Gauntt also moved into second all-time at Washburn on the career home run record list, as he hit Nos. 28 and 29 on Saturday.
Kyle Carnahan had a team-high three hits, while
Riley Krane and
Lance Barkley each had two hits, two RBI and a walk. Krane and
Bowe Behymer both had doubles in the game.
For the second straight game, Washburn took a 2-0 lead in the first off a swing from Gauntt's bat. With one out in the first,
Parker Gibson drew a walk before coming around to third base off Carnahan's single. Carnahan has caught stealing during Gauntt's at-bat, but on a full count pitch Gauntt blasted his third home run of the season over the left field fence to put WU in control early.
The deficit shrunk to one in the bottom of the third when the Griffons took advantage of a two-out WU error, but the Ichabods responded in the top of the sixth with two runs to push the lead to three.
Gibson singled through the left side to open the inning before swiping second and moving to third when Carnahan had his second single of the game before taking second on a wild pitch. With one out and two runners in scoring position, Barkley picked up two RBI with a single through the left side, scoring Gibson and Carnahan and making it 4-1.
Gauntt led off the eighth with his second home run of the day, and WU tacked on two more to make it 7-1 soon after. After Gauntt's solo home run, Barkley walked and moved to second when
Tanner Triggs singled.
Derrick McGreevy replaced Triggs on the base paths, and after Barkley moved to third when
Zane Mapes flied out, McGreevy stole second and
Cole Gardner walked to load the bases.
Riley Krane then came through in the clutch, driving in Barkley and McGreevy with a shot through the right side.
MWSU got one back with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, but Silva and the Ichabods shut down the Griffons the rest of the way in the win.
The series finale is set for 1 p.m., on Sunday, Feb. 28 with the Ichabods looking to complete the sweep after taking the first game, 6-3, on Friday.
