JOPLIN, Mo. — On day one of the MIAA/GLVC Challenge, Washburn baseball split its two-game set, taking game one by a decisive 21-2 decision over Rockhurst, before falling to Missouri Southern in non-conference action, 9-0. The Ichabods (4-4) will close the their three-game set Thursday when they face Missouri-St. Louis. First pitch is slated for 7 pm.
Game 1: Washburn 21, Rockhurst 2
The Ichabods registered a season-best 18 hits in their MIAA/GLVC Challenge opener against Rockhurst. The hitting display was the best single-game performance for Washburn, which finished with six doubles and three home runs, while tallying 18 against Minnesota-Crookston on Feb. 14, 2015. It also marked Washburn's first 20-run game since Apr. 24, 2016 when it rung 20 against Lincoln.
Keen one-out hitting from Lane Harvey and Steven Jacobson yielded back-to-back runs for the Ichabods in the first before Rorey Combs made it 3-0 in the second with his first career home run.
Washburn then poured in an 11-run third with Jacobson and Combs each scoring twice. It was Washburn's first 10-run inning since scoring 10 against Lincoln in 2016. Ichabod batters tallied six hits and four walks with Combs, Xavier De Leon, Javis Larson and Harvey each recording an RBI each. Leading 8-1, Brady Hoover plated four more runs with a grand slam for his fourth home run of the season.
The runs continued to pile up in the fifth as the Ichabods pushed across seven more. Bailey Jenkins' had a two-run double was sandwiched by RBI doubles from Mark Wanner and Kolton Meyer. Michael Oyervides then capped the scoring as he belted his first-career home run.
Ichabod starter Brock Gilliam was credited with his first win of the season as he worked five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. The righty dominated early striking out three of the first six batters faced. He surrendered a run in the third and fourth but continued to be solid with his fourth strikeout in the fourth before facing the minimum in the fifth. Relievers Jared Sharp and Skyler Proctor were scoreless in their respective appearances as each posted a strike out.
Game 2: Washburn 0, Missouri Southern 9
The Washburn offense struggled in the second game as it fell to Missouri Southern in non-conference action. The Ichabods were unable to place a hitter on base as they were retired in order.
Trevor Marreel was dealt the loss as he surrendered four runs on four hits in three innings. Brandon Gabler worked the next four frames allowing two runs on two hits, while Ramon Monje conceded three runs on two hits.
MSSU opened the scoring with a grand slam in the first, before adding one run in the fourth and sixth and three in the eighth.
