TOPEKA, Kan. --- Five runs on nine hits was not enough for the Washburn Ichabods to pick up their third consecutive win on Thursday as they were clipped, 9-5, in the series opener with Northwest Missouri at Falley Field.

Washburn (8-17, 2-12 MIAA) scored twice during the second frame to pull ahead 2-1 after NWMSU (13-12, 9-5 MIAA) tallied its run in the top half of the inning. Brady Hoover led off the inning with a single through the middle before advancing to second as Bowe Behymer was walked in the next at-bat. A Joel Spain sacrifice bunt then moved both runners 90 feet. Hoover later scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Behymer then pushed the Ichabods out front thanks to a Jake Hahn RBI single.

Trailing 4-2 in Washburn half of the fifth, Darian Abram made the most of the lead-off walk he progress around the base path before capitalizing on a passed ball, trimming the Bearcat lead to one.

The Ichabod offense sputtered during the sixth and seventh innings as they combined for one hit and one walk in eight at-bats. Washburn then produced two runs in the eighth as Hahn plated Steven Jacobson while Daniel Reilly slapped a single through the right side scoring Spain, again narrowing the margin to one, 6-5.

Timely hitting from Northwest Missouri in the ninth though saw the Bearcats plate three runners late to pull away, 9-5.

Starter Josh Ramirez was charged with his first loss of the season as the righty surrendered four runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts during five innings of work. Nathan Lorenzen, Tanner Strickbine and Braden Larkey then combined to toss the final four frames. 

Larson and Stevenson each posted a multi-hit game with two hits apiece. Behymer finished 0-for-2 but drew three walks on the day. Collectively, Washburn left nine runners stranded including six in scoring position.

Washburn will look to even the series on Friday when it returns to Falley Field for game two. First pitch is slated for 2 pm.