MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Washburn baseball team saw its historic season come to an end with a heartbreaking walkoff loss to the No. 6 seed Northeastern State on the second day of the NCAA Central Region tournament. The Ichabods finish the 2022 campaign with a record of 33-22 in their first-ever trip to the NCAA postseason after being voted sixth in the MIAA preseason poll.
 
Northeastern State (38-17) got the scoring started in the opening inning with three runs on two hits to lead 3-0 at the end of one.

Washburn had a big answer the following inning with seven runs on four hits and an error. Zion Bowlin led off with a double that got over the center fielder's head. A walk and a hit by pitch loaded up the bases for Easton Bruce, who also drew a walk to bring in the Ichabods' first run. Kros Bay kept the line moving and tied up the game with a two-RBI single. Connor Scott walked to fill the bases again and Cal Watkins' sacrifice fly gave the Ichabods a 4-3 advantage. Brett Ingram safely reached first on a check swing infield single to keep the inning going with just one out. Quinn Waterbury roped a two-run double down the right field line to force Northeastern State to go to its bullpen. After the pitching change, the batting order was back around to Bowlin who collected an RBI on a fielder's choice to stretch WU's lead to 7-3.
 
The RiverHawks chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the second with a two-run double and went on to tie the game at 7-all in the third on a two-RBI single.
 
The Ichabods got back to work in the fourth frame as the first three batters reached base on free passes. Bowlin broke the tie and drove in a couple of runs with an infield single that got away from the shortstop. Dunn was issued his second walk of the afternoon and loaded up the bases with no outs. Although the Ichabods hit into a double play, Waterbury was able to score and extend the lead to 10-7.
 
John Cross, who took over on the mound in the third, returned for his second inning of work in the fourth. After the first two RiverHawks reached base on a hit by pitch and a walk, Cross locked in and left those runners there by recording three-consecutive strikeouts.
 
Cole Warner came on to pitch in the bottom of the fifth and retired seven of the first eight batters he faced with just one walk and three strikeouts during that stretch.
 
The Ichabods added on three runs in the top of the seventh starting with Bruce's one out solo home run. With two outs, Washburn capitalized on some NSU miscues as Scott was hit by the pitch and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. Watkins traded places with him on a doble down the right field line and moved over to third on a wild pitch. The RiverHawks committed a fielding error on a ball hit by Ingram which allowed Watkins to score and pushed the Ichabod lead to 13-7.
 
The RiverHawks started their fight back in the bottom of the seventh and recorded back-to-back singles before clearing the bases with a three-run home run to pull within three, 13-10. Warner ended the frame with a strikeout to leave a runner stranded in scoring position.
 
Washburn went down in order in the top of the eighth and NSU got its first runner on in the home half of the frame on a fielding error. The next batter hit a two-run home run to make it a one run affair. Austin Gerety took over with two outs and got the final one to mitigate the damage and leave two runners on.
 
In the top of the ninth, Watkins got into scoring position after an infield single and then a throwing error on the play allowed him to reach second base. Washburn was unable to get an insurance run in, though, as the inning ended on a pop out and groundout.
 
Northeastern State got its leadoff man on base with a double and after a strikeout, the RiverHawks tied the game on a single and a throwing error. Matt Kaiser recorded the game-winning walkoff hit with a single up the middle to complete the comeback.
 
Northeastern State led in hits, 16-12. Watkins went 3-4 with a pair of doubles, a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI. Waterbury was 2-4 and also had a double, a walk, two RBI, and scored once. Bowlin drove in a team-high three runs and one of his two hits went for a double. Bay had two hits, two RBI, and scored once.
 
On the mound, Cross threw one and 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit, one walk, one hit by pitch while striking out four. Warner recorded five strikeouts in his three and 2/3 innings of work.
 
NOTES

• Washburn earned its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed after being voted sixth in the MIAA Preseason Poll.
• Washburn has now had 11 seasons with 30+ wins with three of those under head coach Harley Douglas.
• The Ichabods' 33 victories is the most since 2016 when Washburn went 34-20.
• As a team this season, Washburn finished in the top-five of several program single season records, including: doubles (127/1st), homeruns (77/2nd), hits (586/2nd), and runs scored (450/4th).
• Washburn's pitching staff also set single season records in strikeouts (542) and saves (15).
• After starting the year 1-3 in Florida, the Ichabods won 14 of their next 15 games and had an eight-game winning streak during that stretch.
• Washburn won five MIAA series and were never swept by an opponent.
• Eight Ichabods received all-MIAA honors.
• Two-time all-MIAA second team selection Ingram finishes his career with a spectacular senior season. Prior to this season, he had played in 63 games and had 63 hits, 38 runs scored in 197 at bats scattered across three seasons ... this year, he started all 55 games and led the team with 83 hit (fourth-most for a single season at Washburn), 20 doubles (tied for second-most in a single season for Washburn), and 60 runs scored in 228 at bats for a team-best .364 batting average…he was also second on the squad in triples (three), home runs (12), and RBI (47).
• Dunn finishes his Washburn career third all-time in the program record book with 32 home runs…he led the team with 18 this year, which is fourth for the most for an Ichabod in a single season…he also drove in a team-leading 62 RBI, the seventh-most in a single season at WU. He also earned all-MIAA accolades twice.
• After joining the Ichabods in 2020, Dalton Huggins ends his career as Washburn's all-time saves leader with 12. He was an all-MIAA and NCBWA all-Central Region second team selection and led the team with 87 strikeouts.