TOPEKA, Kan. – After watching an early lead slip away, Washburn Baseball charged back to force extras and win it in walk-off fashion, 7-6, in the bottom of the 11th against Lindenwood on Saturday, April 16.
WU (25-13, 20-8 MIAA) picks up a sweep of the weekend series against the Lions, using 10 hits in the win. Washburn has now won four straight and moved into a tie for second in the MIAA standings.
Jacob Head went 2.1 innings in the start, striking out one with five hits and three runs allowed before
Dan Gabler entered in the third and pitched the next 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with one strikeout.
Jaren Kutzke tossed the next 3.1 innings of relief in scoreless fashion, recording five strikeouts.
Greg Mason threw the next three complete innings and did not allow a run, giving up just two hits before
Josh Ramirez (2-0) won it as he threw the 11th.
Parker Gibson,
Riley Krane,
Payton Soicher and
Zane Mapes all had two hits for the Ichabods as Krane finished with a double, a triple and two RBI.
David Gauntt joined
Lance Barkley with a hit and an RBI as well, as the Ichabod catcher had the game winning-hit.
Down 1-0 after the top of the first, Washburn struck back with two in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. With two outs and Krane on first after reaching on a fielder's choice, Gauntt was hit by a pitch before
Lance Barkley came through with an RBI single through the left side, scoring Krane and pushing Gauntt to third. In the next at-bat, Barkley swiped second base, and as the throw to second went errant, Gauntt dashed home for the second Ichabod run of the day.
After LWU tied things at 2-2 in the second, Washburn regained the lead off a two-RBI triple from Krane. Mapes singled and moved to second on a two-out walk from Gibson before Krane roped a 2-2 pitch into left field, curving away from the outfielder and bouncing into the corner as the bases emptied, making it 4-2.
Leading 4-3 after the top of the third, Washburn saw its lead disappear in the fourth after four consecutive two-out hits for Lindenwood put the Lions ahead, 6-4.
Hustle on the base paths in the sixth helped WU cut the deficit to one (6-5) after Gibson beat out an infield single with a headfirst slide into first and Soicher scored from second, beating a play at the plate. Soicher reached earlier in the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second as Mapes walked.
Soicher started the eighth with a double over the right fielder's head and dashed to third on a failed pickoff attempt during Mapes' at-bat. Mapes then sliced a single through the left side past a diving third baseman to plate Soicher and tie things up, 6-all.
Even through 10.5 innings, Washburn won it in the bottom of the 11th in walk-off fashion. With one out, Krane doubled to center field to give WU a chance, and later in the inning (with two gone) Gauntt won it for the Ichabods as his hit down the left field line sailed over the outfielder's head for an RBI as Krane scored.
Washburn hosts No. 19 Emporia State in game two of its midweek series against the Hornets this Wednesday, April 19 at 5 p.m.
