TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn baseball team scored nine unanswered runs and rolled to a 9-3 victory in the series opener against Missouri Western on Friday evening. The home series will continue with game two on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Griffons (4-19, 2-12) started the game with a pair of walks and a single and capitalized on the opportunity with a three-run double to take the early lead.
Cale Savage sent the first pitch of the bottom of the third out to right center field for a double and then scored Washburn's (20-7, 11-3 MIAA) first run on
Parker Dunn's single up the middle.
Still trailing 3-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth,
Trevor McCollum drew a leadoff walk and then Savage leveled the score with one swing as his home run ball landed in the trees beyond the left field fence. Up next was
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli, who doubled to left center field, advanced to third on a throwing error by the center fielder, and then scored the go-ahead run on the same play after another throwing error by the catcher in an effort to catch him at third base. Dunn pushed Washburn's lead to 5-3 with a two out solo shot to right field for his 10th homer of the year.
The Ichabods added some insurance to their lead in the eighth with four more runs. Once again, McCollum led off with a walk and then moved up to second on Savage's single to right. After the Griffons elected to intentionally walk
Cal Watkins to load the bases, Dunn was walked on five pitches to bring in a run.
Brett Ingram ripped a two-run single to right field and
Zion Bowlin followed with an RBI single of his own to put the Ichabods in front, 9-3.
Zach Philbin took over on the mound to close out the ninth and retired the side in order with eight pitches.
The Ichabods out hit the Griffons, 13-6, and had four doubles. Savage was 3-4 with a home run, double, and scored three times. Dunn also crushed a home run and was 2-3 with three RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. Ingram and Bowlin also landed two hits in the contest.
Trevor Marreel (1-0) was tabbed with the win after he entered the game in the top of the fifth. After a walk and a wild pitch, he left the runner stranded at second with a strikeout, fly out, and ground out.
Charlie Kiefer pitched three scoreless innings in relief and allowed just one single and a couple walks and notched two strikeouts.
