TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader against Emporia State, falling in game one, 13-10, before closing out the series victory with an exciting 5-4 come-from-behind win. The Ichabods are now 10-17 (9-12 MIAA) while the Hornets check in at 11-16 (7-14 MIAA).
GAME ONE (Emporia State 13, Washburn 10)
Emporia State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after a walk and two singles.
Eric Hinostroza evened the score in the home half of the inning with a solo shot to right field.
The Ichabods took the lead in the second inning with three runs on three RBI doubles.
Zion Bowlin drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second on a passed ball.
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli doubled to right center to drive home Bowlin.
Cole Emerson and
Xavier De Leon hit back-to-back doubles to make it 4-1 in favor of Washburn.
Washburn's offense erupted in the fourth inning with six runs on six hits. Clark-Chiapparelli hit a leadoff single and
Peter Shearer blasted a two-run homer over the right field fence. With one out and runners on first and second,
Parker Dunn cleared the bases with a home run to center field.
Brett Ingram singled through the left side and advanced to second on a passed ball and then swiped third.
Kros Bay got Ingram home on an RBI single up the middle to put the Ichabods in front 10-1.
Emporia State slowly chipped away at the deficit with two runs in the fifth and then two more in the eighth to cut Washburn's lead to 10-5.
The Hornets capitalized on three Washburn errors in the ninth inning and put up eight runs on five hits to take their first lead since the first inning.
The Ichabods went down quietly in the ninth as the Hornets held on for their comeback victory.
Hinostroza went 2-4 with a home run and scored twice. Clark-Chiapparelli also had two hits and scored two runs.
GAME TWO (Washburn 5, Emporia State 4)
Emporia State got on the board in the first inning yet again and then went up 3-0 in the fourth inning.
A leadoff solo home run by the Hornets gave them a 4-0 advantage in the fifth frame.
The Ichabods started their rally in the bottom of the fifth with three-consecutive hit by pitches to load the bases. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by Emerson and De Leon cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
An inning later, Shearer knocked the first pitch of his at bat into the trees in right field. Bowlin drew a walk and advanced to third on a single by Bay before scoring the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Clark-Chiapparelli.
Zach Philbin took over for Washburn starter
Sean McElwee in the seventh inning and retired the side in order. He came back out on the mound in the eighth and allowed just one single.
With two outs in the bottom of the eight, Bowlin and Bay both drew walks to put runners on first and second. Clark-Chiapparelli's RBI single up the middle scored the go-ahead run to give Washburn its first lead of the game.
Joel Cassillas was called upon to close out the game for Washburn. He struck out the first batter and then a single and stolen base put Emporia's tying run in scoring position. Casillas got out number two with another strikeout. The Hornets' Sam Chaput hit the ball hard at
Carson Sader at second base and the ball briefly got away from him before he recovered it and threw out the runner at home plate to end the game.
Bay went 2-2 with a walk and scored a run. Shearer recorded his fourth home run of the season and second of the day. Clark-Chiapparelli drove in the tying and winning run while also scoring a run himself in the fifth.
Philbin received his first career victory in a Washburn uniform after working a clean seventh and eighth inning. Casillias earned his first save and finished with two strikeouts.
The Ichabods will remain home for another week as they take on Rogers State for the first time in program history starting on Friday, April 16.
