TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn closed out the series against Northern State winning three out of four games after a 7-3 victory over the Wolves on Monday afternoon. The Ichabods will begin conference play hosting Fort Hays State on Feb. 25-27.
 
The Ichabods (8-4) got on the board in a hurry as Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli hit a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the first. 
 
Back-and-forth scoring ensued over the next two innings as the Wolves (2-5) took the lead in the top of the second with two runs on two hits and an error. 
 
Zion Bowlin led off the home half of the second with a single to center field and moved up to second base after Kros Bay was hit by a pitch. Cal Watkins moved both runners up on a sacrifice bunt and an RBI groundout from Cale Savage evened the score at 2-all. Up next was Otto Jones, who cranked a double to right field to put the Ichabods in front, 3-2. 
 
Northern State got one run back in the third to knot up the score again. 
 
Clark-Chiapparelli led off the bottom of the third frame and was hit by the pitch and then stole second. With one out, Brett Ingram hit a sinking fly ball out to left that required the fielder to dive in order to make the catch. Clark-Chiapparelli used his speed to tag up and score on the sac fly all the way from second base to give the Ichabods a 4-3 advantage.
 
The Ichabod defense turned a pair of double plays in the game and got a timely 6-4-3 double play with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning without damage.
 
Washburn added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth after the first two batters of the inning were hit by pitches to get on base. Parker Dunn was just shy of a home run in right field, but his double brought in two runs to make it a 6-3 game.
 
The Ichabods scored one final run in the eighth when Ingram hit a double to left field and then swiped third base. He later scored Washburn's seventh run after a wild pitch.
 
The Wolves did not get a runner past first base for the remainder of the game after the fifth inning and hit just two singles during that time. Dalton Huggins entered the game in the ninth and struck out the side to close out the game.
 
Clark-Chiapparelli scored three of Washburn's runs and had two stolen bases. Three different Ichabods landed a double and Dunn drove in two runs with his two-base hit.
 
Washburn starter Charlie Kiefer earned the win after he went four innings and surrendered three runs, two of which were earned, on four hits and a walk. He also struck out three.