PITTSBURG, Kan. --- Despite notching 12 hits for the third consecutive game, the Washburn Ichabods could not overcome a nine-run sixth by Pittsburg State as they dropped game two of a three game series, 17-12, on Friday at Al Ortolani Field. The Ichabods (10-20, 4-15 MIAA) stranded a season-high 11 runners on base with eight in scoring position, while the Gorillas (20-11, 12-7 MIAA) tallied 21 hits and left 10 runners stranded.
 
Washburn jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead to start as Javis Larson, Josh Crosby and Brady Hoover each scored in the first. Crosby drove in Larson with a double to right before Hoover launched a two-run blast to left. The home run by Hoover was his fifth of the year.
 
The Ichabod bats then slumped during the second and third innings as they registered just one hit. The WU advantage meanwhile disappeared as Pitt State scored twice in the bottom half of the first and once in the second and third, claiming a 4-3 lead.
 
Lead-off triple by Bowe Behymer in the fourth helped awaken the Ichabod offense posted three runs on three hits. Two batters later, Behymer finished his trip around the base path as Steve Jacobson collected a sacrifice RBI. Darian Abram then moved Washburn out front with a two-run single as he drove in Jake Bublitz and Jake Hahn to make it 6-4 after Bublitz earned a walk, while Hahn reached on a one-out single.
 
The bats continued to produce as Washburn scored once in the fifth before plating four in the sixth to take an 11-8 lead. Crosby scored twice during the two-inning stretch, both times reaching first via a walk, while Abram, Larson and Bailey Jenkins each scored during the sixth. Jenkins tallied the final Ichabod run in the seventh thanks to a RBI by Larson.
 
The nightmarish innings for the Ichabods came on the heels of the Gorillas scoring once in the fourth and three in fifth. Pitt State scored nine times during the sixth as Washburn pitchers surrendered a combined seven hits and three walks.
 
Trailing 17-12 to start the ninth, Washburn began to threaten as Daniel Reilly drew a lead-off walk. In the next at-bat, Abram found himself on second thanks to a throwing error, which also saw Reilly to move to third. Larson then packed the base path with a single to fifth. Gorilla pitching however clipped the rally short to hang on.
 
Larson led the hitters with four hits in six trips to the plate, while Behymer followed as he went 3-for-6 on day.
 
Reliever Trevor Marreel was charged with the loss as surrendered six runs on five hits while tossing one inning. Starter Brock Gilliam therefore received a no decision as conceded four runs, three earned, on seven hits as he worked three innings. Matthew Hicks was effective in his two innings of hitless relief.
 
Washburn will look to claim the series victory on Saturday as the finale is slated for 1 pm.