CLAREMORE, Okla. – Washburn baseball scored three runs in the ninth inning to tie the game, but Rogers State answered with three singles in the home half of the frame to walk off with a 7-6 win on Saturday afternoon to claim the series. The Ichabods will close out the regular season at home next weekend against Pittsburg State.
The Hillcats (23-22, 15-15 MIAA) got on the board with two runs in the opening inning after two runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch and then scored on an RBI groundout and another wild pitch.
Rogers State had an opportunity to extend its lead in the third with the bases loaded after a double and two walks, but
Jake Schroeder took over on the mound and ended the inning with one pitch for a groundout.
The first three Ichabods up to bat in the fourth inning reached base after a walk, hit batter, and another walk. After a pitching change by RSU,
Otto Jones got after the first pitch and drove in Washburn's first run with a fielder's choice. With two outs,
Quinn Waterbury doubled to deep right center to plate two runs and give Washburn (28-16, 18-12 MIAA) a 3-2 advantage.
The Hillcats put together a two out rally in the fifth inning with a walk, infield single, and hit by pitch to fill the bases. A passed ball scored the tying run and walk brought in the go-ahead run to make it 4-3 in favor of the home team.
The same sequence of events occurred in the sixth when Rogers State juiced the bases with a walk, single, and hit batter with one out. The Hillcats got one run with a single up the middle to go up 5-3.
Dalton Huggins entered the game and got a strikeout for the second out, but a swinging third strike on a wild pitch allowed another run to cross home plate before Huggins officially ended the frame on his third-consecutive strikeout.
Trailing 6-3 with one out in the ninth,
Easton Bruce and
Andrew Schmidtlein drew back-to-back full count walks. Down to the last out, Watkins hit a double to right field to bring in one run and trimmed the deficit to 6-4. Ingram stepped up to the plate and sent a single through the left side to easily score Schmidtlein and Watkins beat the throw home to level the score at 6-all.
Rogers State made the first out of the bottom of the ninth on a fly out before hitting an infield single. The Hillcats moved him up into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt and a second infield hit put runners on the corners with two out. On a 1-1 pitch, Jesse Holguin ended the game with a single to left center to give Rogers State the walkoff victory.
RSU led in hits, 10-6, and drew nine walks. Ingram was 3-4 at the plate and drove in two runs. Waterbury also had two RBI after his double in the fourth. Watkins had a double and scored two runs.
Huggins (5-1) received his first loss after 22 appearances on the mound this season. He threw 3.1 innings in relief and allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out five.
