TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod softball team won its eighth and ninth games in a row on day two of the Hotel Topeka Invitational with wins over Sioux Falls and Minnesota-Crookston. The Ichabods (11-6) will wrap up the three-day event with Southwest Minnesota State on Monday at 2 p.m.
 
Game 1 – Washburn 8, Sioux Falls 0 (5 innings)
The Ichabods got on the board in their first at bat as Hadley Kerschen's single up the middle scored Marrit Mead who walked and then stole second base as Washburn took a 1-0 lead.
 
In the second, Washburn added another run on Jaycee Ginter's home run to center to lead off the inning and then in the fourth, Ashton Friend hit a solo home run of her own to lead off the frame pushing Washburn to a 3-0 lead.
 
In the fifth, the floodgates opened as the Ichabods scored five times leading to the run-rule win over the Cougars. After Mead reached on an error, Autymn Schreiner singled and them both moved up 60 feet on a sac bunt by Kerschen. A 2 RBI single by Friend drove in two and then Jaden LaBarge unloaded on a home run to center as Washburn went up 7-0. After Ginter walked, Maddie Stipsits singled scoring Ginter for the eighth run of the game.
 
Ginter picked up the win improving to 8-1 in the circle striking out nine allowing four hits. Friend finished with 3 RBI.
 
Game 2 – Washburn 8, Minnesota-Crookston 2
The Ichabods again jumped out in front first scoring four runs in their first after Schriener walked and then moved to third on a double by Kirchen. Friend's second home run of the day and the third in the last two games was a three-run shot putting Washburn up 3-0 and then with their next at bat, LaBarge hit one to left center as the Ichabods led 4-0 after the first inning.
 
Washburn scored in the second on a single by Schreiner scoring Mead to go up 5-0.
 
The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the top of the third, but the Ichabods added one more in the third on an RBI single by Stipsits scoring LaBarge who led off the inning with a single to center.
 
In the fourth, Washburn took advantage of an UMC error scoring two off of RBI singles by Jenna Moore and a fielder's choice by Friend.
 
Ginter pitched the final 3 2/3 inning of the game adding seven more strikeouts for her ninth win of the season not allowing a hit in relief.
 
Friend drove in three more runs in the nightcap as the Ichabods outhit the Golden Eagles (7-6) 8-2.