MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Washburn Ichabods opened the season with a pair of losses at the Southern Arkansas Invitational on Friday. The Ichabods return to action on Saturday when they will take on Texas A&M-Commerce and Tarleton State.
 
Game 1 – Tarleton State 5, Washburn 0
In the season opener, the TexAnns broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third with a single to left for the first score of the game. Neither team scored until the sixth inning when Tarleton State picked up a two-out single stretching the lead to 2-0 over the Ichabods.
 
The TexAnns (1-0) scored another in the top of the seventh Tarleton State added three more to go up 5-0 over Washburn (0-1)
 
Kelsee Henry took the loss in the opener pitching a complete-game allowing five earned runs and striking out one scattering 10 hits.
 
Washburn was held without a hit until the bottom of the sixth inning when Maddie Anderson reached on a single. She moved to second on a fielder's choice by Ashley Ruder who reached safely. Both runners moved up a base after a fielding error by the TexAnns, but both were stranded at second and third when a line out by the Ichabods ended in the frame.

Game 2 - #5 Southern Arkansas 3, Washburn 2
After falling behind 2-0 after the first inning, Washburn came back to tie the score in the top of the third with No. 5-ranked Southern Arkansas taking advantage of a pair of Mulerider errors. Ruder reached on an error by the shortstop and then moved to second after Megan Stegman reached on an error. Ruder would score on Taylor Kemp's sac fly to center pulling the Ichabods within one. Erica Harper connected on a pitch to the left center gap scoring Stegman tying the score at 2-2.
In the seventh, the Muleriders scored in the bottom of the seventh taking the win with one out for the walk off win.

Ruder and Harper and Jordan Erickson had hits for Washburn in the game. Lexi Crabtree allowed three earned runs while striking out four in the game taking the loss.