TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn baseball came up short in the series finale on Sunday as Missouri Western broke a tie game in the top of the ninth with a pair of runs to win, 6-4. The Ichabods will make a quick road trip to Northwest Missouri for a single game on Tuesday before returning to Falley Field for a three-game weekend series against No. 6-ranked Central Missouri.
The Ichabods won two out of three against the Griffons and have now won five of their six series this season.
Both offenses got off to a slow start as the game stayed scoreless until Missouri Western (5-20, 3-13 MIAA) struck first with a solo home run in the top of the fourth.
The Griffons extended their lead the following inning with three runs on four hits.
Washburn's (21-8, 12-4 MIAA) bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth as
Parker Dunn and
Brett Ingram hit back-to-back singles with one out.
Zion Bowlin reached base on a fielder's choice and a throwing error allowed Dunn to score and move Ingram up to third base.
Connor Scott hit a sacrifice fly to cut the run deficit in half. Bowlin swiped second base and then scored on
Kros Bay's infield single. Down in the count 0-2,
Trevor McCollum drove in the game-tying run with a triple to right field.
With the score still knotted up at 4-all,
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to center field and advanced to second on a one-base hit from Dunn. Ingram ripped the third single of the inning up the middle and on a close play at the plate, Clark-Chiapparelli was called out at home. A groundout ended the rally and left two runners stranded.
In the top of the ninth, Missouri Western had two outs and a runner on first when it hit back-to-back singles to score the go-ahead run. Two-consecutive walks allowed another run to score and make it a 6-4 game in favor of the Griffons.
Jake Schroeder entered the game and got the final out with a strikeout.
A throwing error by Missouri Western's third baseman allowed
Connor Scott to reach first base to start the bottom of the ninth. McCollum drew a six pitch walk with one out to put two runners on, but the Ichabods were unable to push a run across as the Griffons recorded a strikeout and finished the game on a fielder's choice.
Washburn out hit the Griffons, 14-10, and had five Ichabods record two hits. Clark-Chiapparelli went 3-6 at the plate. Both teams had several opportunities to score in the contest, but many baserunners were left stranded as the Ichabods left 15 on base and the Griffons had 11 left behind.
John Cross (1-1) received the loss after going 2.2 innings and allowing two runs on two hits and five walks while striking out five.
Dalton Huggins made his first start as an Ichabod and went five innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits with a walk and notched eight strikeouts.
Joel Casillas pitched a scoreless sixth frame and allowed just one single.
