TOPEKA, Kan. --- Timely hitting was the difference on a picturesque Wednesday evening as the Washburn baseball team collected its first MIAA conference victory of the year with an 8-7 victory over Emporia State at a packed Falley Field. The Ichabods out hit rival the Hornets, 11-6. 
 
Leading the series, 1-0, the Ichabods (11-25, 5-20 MIAA) wasted little time getting down to business thanks to consecutive hit by pitches. Washburn took advantage of shaky Hornet pitching as it claimed three stolen bases before the game's first out was recorded. Darian Abram accounted for the Ichabod run as he scampered home from third following a lead off hit by pitch.
 
Emporia State (19-16, 10-12 MIAA) then responded with a run in the second before plating four in the top half of the third to take a 5-1 lead.
 
The Ichabods though punched back in the bottom half of the fourth. Following a four-pitch walk to Jake Bublitz to load the bases, Steve Jacobson cashed in by driving the 0-1 offering down the line. Brady Hoover and Josh Crosby each scored on the play trimming the deficit to 5-3. After a dropped foul by Emporia State, Jake Hahn capitalized the extra opportunity by sending the 1-2 pitch down the line allowing Jacobson and Bublitz to come across tying the game at 5-5.
 
Washburn took a 6-5 lead in the fourth thanks to a two-out single by Hoover to push Crosby across. The Ichabods added to their cause with a run during the sixth and eighth, stretching the margin to 8-5. After advancing to third in consecutive at-bats during the sixth, Hoover stole home as Bowe Behymer was caught in a run-down. Crosby and Hoover connected again in the eighth.
 
Crosby and Hoover finished tied for a game-best three hits in five at-bats, while Crosby crossed home three times. Hoover notched his sixth multi-RBI game while touching home twice as well to account for four Ichabod runs.
 
In the ninth, the Hornets threatened the Washburn advantage with a pair of runs, but reliever Matthew Hicks swatted elusions of a comeback to seal the victory.
 
Hahn's 2-for-4 day was his ninth multi-hit outing of the season. Larson extended his season-best consecutive game hit streak to 12 straight with a single in the third.
 
Washburn starter Brock Gilliam was credited with the win while Hicks converted on the save opportunity. After the rough third inning for Gilliam, the righty rebounded nicely retiring the next nine of 10 Hornet batters faced, including eight straight. Gilliam went six full innings allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits. Hicks was solid in his three-inning appearance as he mowed down the first six batters faced as he finished with two runs against with one earned and one hit. The duo combined for five strikeouts.
  
The Ichabods return to action on Friday as they begin a three-game set at Nebraska-Kearney.