TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn could not get its offense going on Friday afternoon as Rogers State evened the series with a 4-1 win. The Ichabods and Hillcats will play the rubber match on Saturday with first pitch at 1 p.m.  

Neither team got on the board in the first two innings with Cooper Carlgren struck out two in the first pair of scoreless frames. Rogers State (17-13, 9-10 MIAA) was able to bring the first run of the game around in the third with a hit batter, wild pitch, groundout and sacrifice fly to go up 1-0.  

In the bottom of the fourth inning Jett Buck led off with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt by Connor Scott. Ike Book singled through the left side of the infield to bring Buck home and tie the game. Washburn (17-14, 11-8 MIAA) had the bases loaded but were unable to take the lead.  

In the top of the fifth inning the Hillcats loaded the bases but Carlgren was able to work around the jam and finish the inning with a punchout. He began the sixth setting one batter down and allowing a hit before Griffin Huiatt took over. Huiatt got the final two outs of the inning to strand two more Rogers State runners and keep the game tied.  

The score stayed knotted until the top of the eighth inning where the Hillcats hit a one-out solo home run to go up 2-1. In the top of the ninth the visitors got a one-out single followed by another home run to extend the lead to 4-1. The Ichabods got the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth but weren't able to extend the game.  

Carlgren finished his outing with 5.1 innings thrown with four strikeouts and just three hits allowed. Huiatt threw the final 3.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out a pair. Washburn managed just five hits on the day, with no player recording more than two. Payton McHarg reached base four times, three times being hit by a pitch and once from a walk.  

Colton Anderson threw six innings for the Hillcats and allowed one run.