FORT SMITH, Ar. -- Washburn took control early and never let up, winning game two over Arkansas-Fort Smith 11-2 to secure a series victory. The Ichabods will go for the sweep on game three on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Cooper Carlgren got the start for Washburn (16-15, 9-10 MIAA) and delivered a scoreless first inning. In the second Payton McHarg led off with a single and was scored on a double by Easton Bruce. Blake Scott would score Bruce on an RBI groundout to go up 2-0. Connor Scott singled and stole second with two outs before coming around to score on a single into right by Jackson Mervosh.
The next time up began with Jett Buck reaching on a hit by pitch and scoring on a McHarg double. With two on Connor Scott singled into center field, scoring both runners to make it a 6-0 ballgame. In the bottom of the third Arkansas-Fort Smith (9-20, 4-15 MIAA) got one run on a pair of hits.
It would be the only run that Cooper Carlgren would relinquish to the Lions in his seven innings of work. The Ichabods continued to add insurance on offense, with Bruce blasting a two-run home run in the fifth to go up 8-1. In the sixth, Cash Jay landed a single in left to score Mervosh who had doubled to add one more.
The lead grew to double figures in the eighth as Hayden Priest scored one on a single before coming around to score on a wild pitch to make it 11-1. Kuyper Kendall entered in the eighth, allowing a home run to the first batter before recording the final three outs in order. He tossed a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts to secure the series victory.
Washburn out-hit Arkansas-Fort Smith 14-7 in the game while also working three walks to just two for the Lions.
Cooper Carlgren and Kendall combined to throw all nine innings with 13 strikeouts. Ten came from Carlgren, tying a career high as he earned the win.
At the plate six players had multi-hit games and seven drove in a run. Easton Bruce had the lone home run as he went 2-3 with three RBI. Hayden Priest had three hits while Connor Scott went 2-3 with two RBI.
