MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 15-ranked Washburn Ichabod softball team split an MIAA doubleheader at Northwest Missouri falling 5-1 in the opener before coming back for the 8-2 win in the nightcap. The Ichabods will wrap up the weekend at Missouri Western on Sunday in a game rescheduled from Friday due to wet field conditions. 
 
Game 1 – NWMSU 5, WU 1
The Ichabods (28-6, 7-3 MIAA) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in their second at bat of the day after Jaden LaBarge led off the inning with a single and the after an Ichabod ground out, LaBarge came around to score on a Paige Robbins single to center staking the Ichabods to a 1-0 lead.
 
Washburn went down in order in the third and fourth innings and left a pair stranded in the fifth before the Bearcats (20-16, 5-7 MIAA) scored once in the bottom of the inning tying the score.
 
In the sixth, the Ichabods left two more on without scoring but the Bearcats broke the game open in their at bat with a grand slam taking a 5-1 lead. Washburn went down in order in the top of the seventh as Northwest Missouri closed out the opener.
 
Washburn was limited to five hits in the game by five different players. Jayce Ginter fell to 19-3 in the circle in the loss striking out eight.
 
Game 2 – WU 8, NWMSU 2
The Bearcats earned a split in the series with an eight-run, 12-hit performance in the nightcap highlighted by a six-run sixth inning rolling to an 8-2 win.
 
The Ichabods scored first in their first at bat after Marrit Mead was hit by a pitch and then after stealing second, Mead scored on a single by Ginter to right putting Washburn up 1-0. The lead was short-lived as the Bearcats scored twice in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-0 lead.
 
Washburn regained the lead in the top of the second after Danielle Schlader led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt by Autymn Schreiner, Mead connected on a double to left center as Washburn went back in front 2-1.
 
Neither team would score until the sixth when the Ichabods scored six times to go up 8-2. Erin Boles singled to start the inning and then after moving to second on a wild pitch. Robbins singled moving Boles to third and after Schlader's sac fly, Boles scored. Washburn's next batter, Schreiner singled up the middle moving Robbins to second. Mead would single scoring Robbins and after a single by Hadley Kerschen driving in Schreiner, Ginter hit a homer to right clearing the bases as Washburn pushed the lead to six.
 
Sheyenne Cheek replaced Washburn starter Sadie Walker, who moved to 4-3 in the circle allowing one hit in five innings of work, and pitched the final two innings holding Northwest to two hits closing out the game.
 
Mead, Ginter, Robbins and Schlader all had two hits in the game while Ginter drove in four of the Ichabods' eight runs. Mead drove in two.