FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Washburn baseball team scored four runs in the eighth inning to pull within one run, but it wasn't enough as the Ichabods dropped the 2022 season opener at Nova Southeastern, 8-5. The Ichabods will head to Miami Shores tomorrow to take on Barry University. The first pitch has been moved up to 11 a.m. (CT) in an attempt to avoid forecasted rain later in the day.
The Sharks (2-0) got on the board first after bringing home a leadoff walk with two outs in the bottom of the second.
Washburn (0-1) responded with a run of its own in the following half inning.
Cale Savage worked a 3-2 count and drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a single up the middle by
Connor Scott.
Trevor McCollum hit a sacrifice fly to score Savage and tie the game in the top of the third.
Pitching command issues plagued Washburn in the bottom of the third as the frame started with back-to-back walks and a hit batter loaded the bases. The Sharks hit a single to left to bring in two runs and a sac fly made it a 4-1 ballgame.
Dalton Huggins ended the inning with two strikeouts.
NSU tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend its lead to 6-1.
The Ichabods were retired in order in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings before making some noise in the eighth. Scott hit a leadoff double and then scored on McCollum's single up the middle. Down in the count 0-2,
Cal Watkins reached first after getting hit by the next pitch.
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli kept the line moving as he ripped a double to deep left field to score two runs and then advanced to third on NSU's attempt to catch Watkins at home plate. Unsuccessful at home, the Sharks made a quick toss to third that went sailing into left field and Clark-Chiapparelli raced to score safely to make it a 6-5 game. The Sharks' defense committed two more fielding errors before getting out of the inning without further damage on a nice catch in the outfield and a strikeout.
It wouldn't stay a one run ballgame for long as Nova Southeastern answered with two insurance runs in the home half of the eighth to go up, 8-5.
McCollum recorded his third hit of the night with one out in the ninth and reached second on a passed ball, but that was as far as he got as the Sharks closed out the victory.
Nova Southeastern finished the game narrowly out hitting Washburn, 7-6, and left 10 runners on base. The Ichabod pitching staff surrendered 10 walks and one hit batter while the Sharks walked three and hit one. The Sharks also had four stolen bases in the game.
In his second career start, McCollum went 3-3 at the plate with two RBI and one run scored. Scott recorded two hits and he joined Watkins and Savage in scoring one run apiece in their Washburn debuts.
