TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn baseball closed out the series against No. 11-ranked Missouri Southern splitting a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon as the Ichabods lost the first game, 7-2, before capturing a 10-5 win in the finale. Washburn will play its next 11 games on the road starting at Missouri Western next weekend, March 24-26.
GAME 1 (Missouri Southern 7, Washburn 2)
The Ichabods got on the board quickly in the first inning after
Cal Watkins led off with a single through the right side and then scored on
Trey Adams' double that hit the fence in left field.
The Lions took their first lead of the afternoon in the top of the second with a pair of unearned runs. Missouri Southern added to its lead in the fourth and went up, 3-1, on an RBI single.
Washburn pulled within one in the home half of the fourth.
Andrew Paulsey and
Blake Scott got the frame started with back-to-back walks and both moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by
Caden Bressler. Watkins collected an RBI on a fielder's choice that scored Paulsey and made it a 3-2 game.
The score stayed locked at 3-2 until the top of the ninth inning when Missouri Southern scored four runs with two outs to extend its lead to 7-2.
The Ichabods sent four batters up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but could not get a runner past first as the Lions closed out the win.
MSSU recorded one more hit than WU, 8-7. Adams was 3-5 with an RBI double. Watkins was the only other Ichabod who had a multi-hit game, going 2-5 with an RBI and run scored.
Washburn starter
Rane Pfeifer received the loss after going eight innings and allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits and two walks while striking out 12. He recorded three 1-2-3 innings and turned in his second-straight start with double-digit strikeouts.
GAME 2 (Washburn 10, Missouri Southern 5)
Washburn (17-10, 10-3 MIAA) scored first for the second game in a row, this time putting up two runs in the bottom of the second.
Trevor McCollum hit a leadoff single and moved up to third on a double by
Easton Bruce.
Kuyper Kendall drew a walk to load the bases for
Shane Morrow, who hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored McCollum. Bruce tagged up and went to third base on a fly out and then later scored after a throwing error by the catcher on a successful stolen base by Kendall.
Missouri Southern (19-7, 10-3 MIAA) jumped ahead 5-2 in the fourth inning.
That MSSU lead didn't hold for long as
Cade Parry began the fifth with a five-pitch walk and Watkins followed that up with a single to center field. With one out, Savage tied the game with one swing as he sent an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left field.
In the bottom of the sixth, Parry got things started again and landed a double to center field. Watkins worked a walk and both runners moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt from Adams. Savage came through again and broke the tie with a two-RBI single to left field to give the Ichabods a 7-5 advantage.
Washburn increased its lead to 8-5 in the bottom of the seventh after Watkins' single to left scored Kendall from second base.
The Ichabods tacked on two more runs in the eighth to stretch their lead to 10-5. Bruce hit a one-out double and then traded places with Kendall after his double down the left field line. Kendall advanced up to third on a wild pitch and easily scored on
Ike Book's single through the right side.
Missouri Southern had two runners on with one out in the top of the ninth by way of a single and walk, but
Chase Torkelson closed the door with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Ichabods had a 15-9 advantage in hits and had six doubles. Savage was a triple shy of the cycle and went 3-5 with a home run, double, and collected five RBI. Bruce was also 3-5 and tied the program single-game record for the most doubles in a game with three. He also scored twice. McCollum joined the 3-5 club and scored a run. Kendall was 2-4 with a double and two runs scored.
Torkelson improved his record to 5-1 after throwing four scoreless innings and allowing only four hits and two walks while striking out four.
