TOPEKA, Kan. --- An early run was not enough for Washburn baseball as it dropped the series opener to Southwest Baptist on Friday by the score of 4-1 to slide to 19-14 on the year and 11-11 in MIAA play.
 
Riley Krane led the way as he went 3-for-4 for his 13^th multiple hit performance of the season. Darian Abram followed with a 2-for-4 outing to extend his streak of reaching base to 14 games. Bowe Behymer meanwhile push his streak of reaching base to a team-best 15 games. Cole Gardner and Gabe Franklin each recorded a hit and drew a walk.
 
After opening the day by retiring the first nine Bearcat batters Ichabod starter Nick Silva was ultimately charged with the loss as he tossed 5.2 innings and allowed three runs with one earned on five hits. Silva also registered two strikeouts and walking three. Jaren Kutzke pitched 2.1 innings while being charged with one run on three hits before Matthew Hicks came in to work a scoreless ninth.
 
The lone Washburn run of the contest came in first as an errant throw sailed over the SBU third baseman allowing a streaking Behymer advance home after stealing his 17^th base of the season.
 
WU continued to hold on to a narrow 1-0 lead until the fifth when Southwest Baptist managed to push two across. The Bearcats added to their new found lead with one in the sixth and one in the eighth opening the margin to 4-1.
 
The series will continue at Falley Field on Saturday with the first-pitch slated for 2 p.m.