BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Washburn baseball fell down early but rallied to take a one-run lead in the eighth inning in the season opener on Thursday afternoon but gave up two runs in the bottom of the eighth and fell 9-8 to Lynn. The Ichabods are back in action Friday against Palm Beach Atlantic with a 5 p.m. CST first pitch.
The Fighting Knights (1-0) scored the game's first run on two hits and a pair of free bases. Cooper Carlgren got the starting nod and finished the inning just allowing one run. Payton McHarg led off the top of the second inning with the first Washburn (0-1) hit of the year, a double, but a double play for Lynn ended the inning.
The score moved to 2-0 in favor of the Fighting Knights after a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second. A third run was added in the home half of the third on two hits and a walk.
Carlgren left the game in the middle of the fourth after 3.1 innings tossed with three strikeouts and three runs allowed. Logan Barlett took over in his first appearance as an Ichabod and got a double play to end the inning.
The Ichabods got into the scoring column with Hayden Priest knocking a single into the outfield with two outs to score Cash Jay and Ike Book who doubled and singled to lead off the inning respectively.
Lynn scored another run in the fifth inning on a solo home run, and in the sixth inning a one-out double was scored with a two-out single. A second single followed by a walk loaded the bases and two more runs scored on a hit batter and a single to make it 7-2.
Washburn started to chip away in the seventh, Book walked to begin the inning and Jett Buck singled with one out to put two on. Trevor McCollum took care of them both with a triple into right field and Easton Bruce followed with a double to score McCollum to make it a 7-5 game. Cale Savage singled into left field but Bruce was tagged out at home trying to score from second, ending the inning.
Sam Wragge replaced Bartlett on the mound in the seventh and he along with Jayden Payne and Kai Bennett combined to pitch a scoreless seventh, each tossing one strikeout.
The Ichabod offense got back to work in the eighth inning with Payton McHarg leading off with a walk. Cash Jay singled and Book reached on an error on the Lynn infield which allowed McHarg to score. Buck grounded out on the infield but picked up an RBI with Jay scoring to tie the game. Priest put Washburn in front for the first time with another two-out hit, a single. He advanced to third before the inning ended with WU in front 8-7.
Bennett stayed on for the seventh and issued a leadoff walk which led to the bases getting loaded with one out. A single brought home one run and a sacrifice fly put the Fighting Knights in front 9-8. Gavin Wilhelm came on in relief and secured the final out of the inning.
The Ichabod offense managed one hit in the ninth but could not rally for another run to extend the season opener.
Washburn picked up 12 hits on the day with McHarg going 3-4 at the plate with a walk to lead the way. Priest and Jay both had multi-hit games.
The Ichabods used six pitchers in the opener, the staff combined for seven strikeouts with 14 hits allowed. Bennet took the loss going one inning and giving up two runs with a strikeout.
