MARYVILLE, Mo. -- Washburn battled back from a 7-0 deficit but came up short falling 15-12 in game two against Northwest Missouri State on Sunday afternoon. The Ichabods will wrap up the series on Monday with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
Caleb Lunnon got the start for Washburn (10-8, 5-3 MIAA) and tossed a scoreless first inning as neither side got on the board for the first inning and a half. The Bearcats (8-8, 2-3 MIAA) opened the scoring with a one-out solo home run in the second. A single and a double followed and two batters later a second home run in the inning made it 4-0 after two.
In the third inning Northwest Missouri strung together three straight singles to score a run and bring in the Ichabod bullpen. They added two more runs on a sacrifice fly and a walk to finish out the inning.
Washburn got on the board its next trip to the plate after a leadoff single by Easton Bruce and a one-out walk by Darian Duhon. Blake Scott brought them both home with a three-run homer. The next inning a walk and hit by pitch put two on for the Ichabods. Cash Jay brought one home with a sacrifice fly, Bruce followed with a double, making it a 7-5 game.
In the bottom of the inning the first batters reached for the Bearcats, scoring two runs. An error put the next batter on, with a pair of singles loading the bases and scoring two more, making it 11-5. A double play set up by Keegan McDonald ended the inning.
Cal Leonard settled down the Bearcat bats with a scoreless sixth inning. In the seventh Washburn got going with two outs in the seventh, beginning with a walk from Bruce, Jett Buck followed with a double and Darian Duhon scored both with a single to right center.
They continued to chip away, adding a run in the eighth on a solo home run from Payton McHarg. A walk by Priest and single by Cash Jay put two more on. Bruce added another, on a single into center. After Duhon was hit to load the bases Jackson Mervosh cleared them with a single into the gap in right center, putting the Ichabods in front 12-11.
Beginning with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Northwest Missouri loaded the bases on a hit batter and a pair of walks. A third walk scored one, tying the game and was followed by a triple to score three runs and lead 15-12. Washburn went down in order in the top of the ninth end the game.
Both teams notched 14 hits in the game with the difference coming in 12 walks for the Bearcats to six for the Ichabods, who used eight pitchers in the game.
Payton McHarg, Easton Bruce and Jackson Mervosh all had three hits in the game, with Mervosh driving in three along with Blake Scott.
Dylan Hufft and Kaehukai Young each had two hits and three RBI for Northwest Missouri.
