BETHANY, Okla. -- Washburn led four batters into the game Wednesday afternoon and built the lead the rest of the way, knocking off Southern Nazarene 14-3 in the final non-conference game of the season. The Ichabods return to conference play on Friday, April 26 for three games against Northeastern State beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Wasburn's (26-19) offense led off with Payton McHarg slashing a single to right, Cale Savage traded places with him on a fielders choice. Savage was moved to second and scored on a single into left field by Hayden Priest to open up the scoring for the Ichabods.
Cal Watkins slashed a one-out single in the second and scored on a double from McHarg to left center. Savage continued hitting to left, pushing an RBI single to the outfield to make it 3-0.
Charlie Kiefer got his third start of the season and delivered a pair of scoreless innings to begin the game. The Storm (12-35) got on the board in the third with a hit batter followed by a home run to right, cutting the lead to one.
Washburn got the runs back the next half inning scoring four runs all coming with two outs. Cash Jay homered to left, scoring Savage who reached on an error. After Hayden Priest walked Connor Scott blasted one to the same spot, scoring two more.
Kiefer ended his outing throwing a scoreless fourth inning, finishing with five strikeouts and two runs across four innings. Southern Nazarene scored an unearned run in the fifth off of Jayden Payne after two hits and an error.
In the sixth the Ichabods were able to break the game open with a second inning putting up a crooked number. Savage led off with a walk and Cash Jay followed with a single. Priest made it two straight singles, scoring Savage. Connor Scott lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Jay and Blake Scott drove in Priest with a single. Jett Buck became the fourth straight hitter to drive in a run on a home run to left field to make it 12-3 after five and a half.
After the offensive outburst Fidel Hatch took over on the mound and delivered scoreless sixth and seventh innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two. In the eighth, Trevor McCollum hit a one-out double and later scored after a single from McHarg that brought home the run on an error. With two outs Otto Jones knocked a pinch-hit double into left to add another run.
Cole Warner finished the game off on the mound to secure a 14-3 win over the Storm.
The Ichabods knocked around 20 hits in the game with McHarg, Jay, Priest and McCollum all picking up three hits. Connor Scott led with three runs driven in. The quartet of Washburn pitchers combined to strike out nine while allowing nine hits and walking four, Payne moved to 1-0 after picking up the win.
