TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn went back and forth with No. 3 Central Missouri Friday afternoon before falling in the ninth inning 6-5. The Ichabods take on the Mules in game two on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The first pitch of the day that Washburn (13-9, 8-3 MIAA) saw at the plate Payton McHarg sent over the scoreboard in right field for a home run, putting the Ichabods up 1-0 early.
Caden Bressler made his second start of the season for the home squad, ending the second inning with a strikeout to keep the game scoreless. After a leadoff walk in the top of the third Central Missouri (21-3, 10-1) hit a one-out home run to center field, taking a 2-1 lead.
Washburn battled back to tie the game in the home half of the inning beginning with a leadoff double down the line in left field by Teagan Tamiya. He moved to third and with two outs Cash Jay brought him home with a hard single through the left side of the infield.
Neither team got on the board in the fourth or fifth innings as the score stayed knotted. Bressler ended his day after facing one batter in the sixth inning and allowing a single. He finished with five innings, allowing three hits and striking out one as Griffin Huiatt took over.
The bases were quickly cleared with Hayden Priest throwing out the baserunner attempting to steal second. The Mules were still able to pull in front, hitting a solo homer with one out. The next inning a walk and wild pitch was followed by a single to score another run. Two stolen bases occupied third base and a sacrifice fly made it 5-2 after seven.
In the eighth inning for the second time in the game McHarg led off with a home run, this one to right center. After a walk from Cale Savage the Ichabods tied the game with Cash Jay hitting his ninth of the season over the wall in left center.
In the top of the ninth Central Missouri went ahead on a walk and a double into the gap in right center. It was the only hit for the Mules in the one-run inning. Washburn got one runner on in the bottom of the ninth but were not able to extend the game, falling 6-5 in the series opener.
The Ichabods out-hit Central Missouri eight to seven but had three fewer walks than the Mules. Payton McHarg, Cash Jay and Teagan Tamiya all had two hits, with Jay driving in three and McHarg the other two on solo shots.
Caden Bressler and Griffin Huiatt combined to strike out five while issuing five walks in the game. Huiatt recieved the loss, moving to 1-2 on the year after throwing the final four innings.
