TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn secured its second sweep of the season on Sunday afternoon in walk-off fashion, defeating Fort Hays State 7-6 after a home run in the bottom of the ninth from Cale Savage. The Ichabods head out of conference play for one game taking on Rockhurst on April 16 at 6 p.m. on the road.
The Tigers (21-20, 9-18 MIAA) led off the game with back-to-back hits, a double and a single, to score the first run of the game. After one out another pair of hits scored two more runs to make it 3-0 after half an inning. Grant Jones ended the top of the first inning robbing what would have been a grand slam in left field to limit the scoring. Chase Torkelson settled in the next two innings, holding Fort Hays State without a hit in either one.
Washburn (23-16, 17-10 MIAA) got on the board in the bottom of the third beginning with a leadoff walk from Ike Book. Payton McHarg moved him to second and Cash Jay did the rest, scoring him with a single down the left field line.
An inning later Grant Jones shot a one-out single straight up the middle. Connor Scott tripled one batter later to bring Jones all the way around. Book tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Scott and complete the inning.
Torkelson held the Tigers scoreless through the fifth and into the sixth inning, getting the first two outs in the sixth before Cole Warner finished the inning off.
The score stayed knotted at three until the bottom of the seventh. After a one-out walk from Book he was pinch run for by Chase Littrell. He was moved to third on a single through the right side by McHarg. Washburn scored its second straight run via sacrifice fly after Savage lifted one to center field, giving the Ichabods the lead.
The Tigers began the next half inning with a leadoff walk which was sacrificed over to second base. A single into left field got down to score the run and tie the game at four. In the bottom of the inning Priest and Watkins delivered back-to-back singles to put two runs on. For a second time in the game Scott cleared the bases with a triple into the gap in right center to put Washburn up 6-4.
A one-out walk in the top of the ninth was followed by a two-run home run to straightaway center field, tying the game at six. Logan Bartlett sat down the final two hitters in the inning to keep the game tied. In the bottom of the ninth the Ichabods needed to send only two hitters to the plate with Cale Savage delivering the final shot in the game on a solo home run well over the wall in left field to complete the sweep.
Chase Torkelson finished his outing at 94 pitches throwing 5.2 innings and striking out two, the only two punchouts of the game for Washburn. The staff combined to only allow seven hits and Logan Bartlett earned the win, moving to 3-1.
At the plate the Ichabods notched 11 hits led by two coming from Connor Scott to drive in three runs. He became one of seven players in program history to hit two triples in a game. McHarg and Priest each had multi-hit days as well.
Isaiah Ural had two hits and drove in three runs for the Tigers and Rafael Espinoza threw eight innings.
