EMPORIA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods rolled to a doubleheader sweep over Emporia State and coupled with Central Oklahoma's loss to Pittsburg State, Washburn clinched its third MIAA regular season championship and its second since 2018 under head coach Brenda Holaday while winning its 22nd game in a row. Washburn finishes off the regular season 42-11 and 24-2 in the MIAA and will be the No. 1 seed in the postseason tournament next weekend in Edmond. 

Game 1 - WU 5, ESU 1
The Ichabods started the game with three runs in the top of the first after Marrit Mead drew a walk and then after a single by Paige Robbins and a walk by Jaycee Ginter, Ashston Friend grounded out scoring Mead. Hadley Kerschen's two-out single scored both Robbins and Ginter as Washburn went up 3-0.

The Hornets came back with a run of their own in the bottom of the first cutting the lead to 3-1.

After scoreless at bats in the second and third for the Ichabods, Kerschen led off the fourth with a walk and Autymn Schreiner singled to right moving Kerschen over to second. Kaylee Wagner came in as a pinch hitter and her sac fly scored Kerschen and then Mead's single up the middle scored Schreiner as the Ichabods went up 5-1 wrapping up the scoring.

Ginter moved to 27-3 scattering six hits allowing an earned run while striking out five. Friend and Schreiner each had two hits and Kerschen drove in two.

Game 2 - WU 13, ESU 3
The Ichabods scored nine runs in the first three innings cruising to the 13-3 win.

Mead started off the game with a homer and then after Friend walked, LaBarge doubled to left scoring Friend as the Ichabods went up 2-0.

In the second, Washburn scored a pair of runs with two outs when Mead doubled scoring Stipsits who walked as the Ichabods went up 4-0.

The Ichabods added to their lead in the third when LaBarge hit a homer to center and then after singles from Kerschen and Schreiner and a walk from Stipsits loading the bases, Mead singled through the left side scoring Schreiner and Kerschen. After Robbins' single and Ginter came up and singled to left scoring both Mead and Stipsits as the Ichabods pushed their lead to 9-0.

The Hornets added two runs in the bottom of the fourth cutting the lead to 9-2.

In the sixth, Washburn added four more runs when Stipsits cleared the bases with a triple scoring Schreiner, Kerschen and Moore after all three singled. Mead then drove in her career-best fifth RBI of the game scoring Stipsits with a single as Washburn went up 13-3.

ESU scored a run in the bottom of the sixth making the final margin 10 for the 13-3 run-rule win.

Mead finished 3 for 5 with her 5 RBI and scored three runs and LaBarge also had three hits driving in two. Stipsits also scored three runs.

Ginter picked up her second win of the day as she finished the regular season with a 28-3 record.