TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn picked up a 4-2 win over Lindenwood in its weekend opener on Thursday, April 14.
Washburn (23-13, 18-8 MIAA) saw starting pitcher
Nick Silva win his eighth game of the year and remain undefeated on the mound, throwing seven complete innings with two runs allowed and three strikeouts.
Greg Mason maintained the Ichabods' two-run lead with just one hit allowed in the eighth before
Lance Barkley picked up save No. 5 on the season with one strikeout and one hit given up.
Barkley also had an RBI on the offensive end, while
Parker Gibson,
David Gauntt and
Tanner Triggs combined for WU's four hits. Triggs finished 2-for-3 on the day as Gauntt and
Payton Soicher each drove a run in.
Heads up base running in the first helped Washburn take a 1-0 lead. Gibson started the Ichabod offense with a bloop single into right field before stealing second and third, racing home on a throwing error on the play at third.
LWU tied it at one with a two-out, double steal in the second inning but Washburn plated another in the second to regain a lead, 2-1.
Tanner Triggs led off the inning with a single up the middle and took second on a wild pitch before moving to third off
Bowe Behymer's groundout. From there,
Payton Soicher hit a deep fly to the left field corner as Triggs tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly.
After the Lions again tied it at 2-2 with an RBI single in the second, the Ichabods picked up two more runs to secure the lead for good in the third. On a dropped third strike to open the inning, Krane reached safely as the throw to first base went over the head of the first baseman, and Krane followed by stealing second to put an Ichabod in scoring position with no outs. Later in the inning,
David Gauntt ripped his first triple of the season into right center for an RBI. In the next plate appearance, Barkley picked up an RBI of his own with a sacrifice fly to center, plating Gauntt.
The squads traded threats through the final six innings of play, but the pitching staff and defense of both teams combined to keep the offenses off the board the rest of the way.
This weekend's series continues on Friday, April 15 with a 5 p.m., game from Falley Field. Washburn will be looking to lock up another MIAA series win and their third straight contest.
