ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Washburn baseball trimmed the deficit to three runs after trailing 11-0 at the end of the opening inning, but could get no closer as Missouri Western avoided the series sweep with a 16-9 win in the finale on Sunday afternoon. The Ichabods' midweek game at Northwest Missouri has been bumped back a day and will now take place on Wednesday, March 29 at 3 p.m. in Maryville, Mo.
The game got off to a rough start for Washburn (19-11, 12-4 MIAA) as the Ichabod pitchers struggled with command and six of the first seven Missouri Western batters reached base by way of either a walk or hit by pitch. At the end of the first inning, the Griffons led 11-0.
The Ichabods got on the board in the second inning.
Kuyper Kendall hit a one out single and then moved up to second base on a walk drawn by
Blake Scott. On the ninth pitch of the at bat,
Caden Bressler hit a single to center field to drive in the run.
Missouri Western (6-20, 3-13 MIAA) got that run back in the home half of the second inning after a leadoff walk eventually came around to score on an RBI single to make it 12-1.
Washburn responded with a big inning in the third. With runners on first and second,
Trevor McCollum reached on a fielder's choice and a Griffon miscue allowed
Trey Adams to score.
Easton Bruce was walked to put runners on first and second for
Ike Book, who brought in a pair of runs with a single through the right side. With two outs, Scott was hit by a pitch during his at bat and then Bressler singled home Book. The Ichabods kept their foot on the gas as Watkins legged out a triple that plated two runs and cut Missouri Western's lead to 12-7.
The Ichabods continued to chip away at the deficit the following inning. McCollum drew a leadoff walk and swiped second base to get into scoring position. Kendall doubled in a run with two outs and then scored on Scott's single to left field to pull Washburn within three, 12-9.
The Griffons went down in order in the fourth inning and left a pair of runners stranded in the fifth and sixth, but added to their lead with four runs in the seventh inning to go up, 16-9.
Washburn had runners on the corners with two outs in the ninth, but were unable to rally as the game ended on a fielder's choice.
The Ichabods had a 13-12 advantage in the hits column for the afternoon. Bressler was 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Kendall went 2-4 and scored twice and knocked in a run. Watkins finished with a couple of hits and two RBI.
Cal Leonard threw three scoreless innings in relief and allowed just two hits, one walk, and struck out two.
