TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn picked up a series sweep over No. 17 Augustana on Wednesday afternoon with a 8-6 win in game two of the shortened series. The Ichabods return to conference play for three games with Fort Hays State beginning on Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m.
It was a slow start offensively for both teams with neither team getting on the board in the first two innings. Piercen McElyea used his defense to get out of a jam in the second inning, incusing a ground ball double play to end the Viking (9-5) scoring threat.
In the bottom of the third Blake Scott led off with a walk and was moved to third on a single by Payton McHarg. Hayden Priest followed with a single of his own into left field, scoring Scott to put Washburn (12-9) in front. Cash Jay, Easton Bruce and Jett Buck all did the same with singles, each scoring a run to go up 4-0.
The next time to bat for Augustana they got a one out double followed by a pair of singles to score its first run of the game. A stolen base allowed the runner on third to score on the throw, making it a two-run game. After finishing the fourth inning, Keegan McDonald stayed on the mound and threw a scoreless fifth.
Cal Leonard took over in the sixth and left two stranded, as he got the third out at home with a tag on a throw from Scott at first. In the seventh the Vikings pulled within a run on a single and a double, both coming with two outs.
In the home half of the inning McHarg singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. For a second time Priest drove him in with a single. After a scoreless inning on the mound from Max Clark the Ichabods loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of hit batters in the eighth. With two outs McHarg cleared the bases with a double into the right-center gap to go up 8-3.
In the top of the ninth the bases were loaded for Augustana on three straight walks to begin the inning. A single up the middle scored a pair of runs. A third run came across on an RBI groundout but that was all the Vikings would get as Kuyper Kendall recorded the final three outs in order to secure the 8-6 victory.
Washburn out-hit Augustana 10-9 in the game while the Vikings picked up seven walks to just four for the Ichabods. Seven pitchers took the mound for the home squad, they used their defense with just two strikeouts, both from Piercen McElyea. Keegan McDonald moved to 1-0 on the year as he earned the win throwing 1.2 innings scoreless.
At the plate Washburn also struck out just two total times. The top of the order did the damage with Payton McHarg going 3-4 with a walk and three RBI. Hayden Priest also had two hits, each driving in one run.
