GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas --- The Washburn baseball team split its twin bill on Friday at the SAU Air Hog Classic as it opened with a 4-1 victory over Oklahoma Christian before falling, 12-6, to Southern Arkansas.
 
Highlighting game one for the Ichabods (2-1) was the stellar pitching performance of Lance Barkley who tossed eight innings and allowed one run on four hits while walking just three of the 31 batters faced. Barkley opened the day by working seven scoreless innings before making way for Marcus McKinney who was credited with a 10-pitch save.
 
Washburn scored first as Darian Abram made it 1-0 after reaching base with a double to right field. Abram's trip around was aided by a wild pitch and fielder's choice RBI from Riley Krane. The Ichabods were then held scoreless until the seventh where Krane's triple to left center allowed Bowe Behymer to easily score from second. Krane later scored on a sac fly from Brett Nickle to make it 3-0.
 
In the eighth, Curtis Whitten capped the scoring for Washburn before Jared Price helped OCU avoid from being shutout as he crossed home as the Eagles' lone run of the day to make it 4-1.
 
Washburn needed just two more hits for its win as it edged out the Eagles, 6-4.
 
After trailing 3-0 in the first inning of game two, Washburn answered in the second with runs from Kasey Clark, Blake Tomasino and Zach Macke to tie it at 3-3. Southern Arkansas then reassumed the lead in its half of the second as it capitalized on error which results in a pair of unearned runs making it 5-3.
 
Washburn trimmed the SAU margin to one during the third as a single from Krane allowed Abram to race home from third after on a triple. Then in the fifth the Ichabods took advantage of pitcher to first throwing error that resulted in a pair of unearned runs from Behymer and Abram to make it 6-5.
 
A thee-run triple from Blake Hall during the bottom half of the fifth allowed the Muleriders to reassume control of the board for the final time as they moved out front, 8-6. Washburn was then held scoreless for the final four innings while SAU added a run in the sixth, one in seventh and two in the eighth to bring the score to its 12-6 final.
 
Washburn's Matthew Hicks was credited with the first loss of the season as he surrendered four runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of relief. Starter Jaren Kutzke was awarded the no decision after he tossed 3.2 innings giving up five runs on five hits with three walks. Also making relief appearances for the Ichabods were Braden Larkey and Ryne Dowling each working just one inning apiece.
 
Collectively, Washburn was out hit 12-7 in game two and committed one more error (2) than SAU.
 
With two hits on eight plate appearances Krane led the team for the day with a total of four runs batted-in. Behymer meanwhile batted 3-for-6 with one RBI and two runs. Abram finished the day with three runs while going 2-for-7 at the plate. Gardner tallied two RBI and walk on the day.
 
Washburn will wrap up its Texas trip on Saturday with a single-game against East Central. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.