TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod softball team picked up a pair of wins on the first of three days of the Hotel Topeka Invitational as they topped Wayne State 13-1 in five innings in the opener and scored a 1-0 win over Mary in the nightcap. Action continues on Sunday as the Ichabods will look to keep their seven-game winning streak going as they will face Sioux Falls at 1:30 p.m. and Minnesota-Crookston at 3:30 p.m. at Gahnstrom Field.
 
Game 1 – WU 13, Wayne State 1 (5 innings)
The Ichabods fell behind in the first inning after the Wildcats (2-7) scored their only run of the game on a two-out home run, but the lead was short-lived as Washburn exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first sending 12 batters to the plate. After Marrit Mead led off the inning with a single and stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, she came around to score on an RBI by Autymn Schreiner. Hadley Kerschen walked as did Ashton Friend and after Jayce Ginter reached on a fielder's choice, Kimi Patterson was hit by a pitch and Maddie Stipsits was as well picking up an RBI. Jenna Moore then drew a bases-loaded walk and then Hailey Neira singled to pick up an RBI. Mead came back to bat and walked and then Schreiner was hit picking up her second RBI of the inning. After a pitching change, the Wildcats recorded the final out trailing 6-1 after one at bat.
 
The Ichabods (8-6) scored another run in the second inning when Friend crushed a home run down the left field line adding to the lead and then in the third inning, Mead reached base with a single and then stole second and third and scoring on Friend's sac fly. Ginter sent a home run over the centerfield fence as Washburn went up 10-1 after three innings.
 
The Ichabods added three more in the fourth when Rylee Seymour singled and then Ellington Hogle singled. A Mead sac fly scored Stipsits and then Jaden LaBarge hit a pinch-hit home run scoring two more moving the final score to 13-1.
 
Ginter improved to 7-1 in the circle on the season scattering three hits with four strikeouts.
 
Mead had two hits and had three stolen bases as four different Ichabods scored twice.
 
Game 2 – WU 1, Mary 0
The Ichabods won a 1-0 game earning their seventh win in a row moving to 9-6 on the season with the win over the Marauders. Washburn's lone run came in the third inning when Schreiner walked and then stole second base. A single to right by Hadley Kerschen was the difference scoring Schreiner from second and that is all the run support Ichabod starter Raegen Hamm struck out a career-high 14 allowing three hits with one walk. Hamm did not allow a hit until the fourth inning in the win.
 
Kimi Patterson and Kerschen had the two hits or the Ichabods in the win.