TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn used a pair of big innings to down No. 2 Central Missouri 14-7 on Wednesday night. The Ichabods hit the road to face Emporia State for three games beginning Friday at 5 p.m.
Neither team got on the board in a scoreless first inning. It was the Mules (25-9, 16-6) that struck first in the second, with a home run following a two-out walk to make it 2-0. Washburn (19-19, 12-13 MIAA) responded right away as Jett Buck led off the home half of the inning with a home run to left.
An error in the field and a hit batter extended the inning, allowing Blake Scott to plate one with a single to left. Jackson Mervosh hit the second Ichabod home run over the wall in left field to make it 5-2 after two.
A leadoff walk in the top of the third came around to score on a double. Central Missouri pulled within one as a wild pitch plated another run. After a scoreless top of the fourth by Griffin Huiatt the Ichabods loaded the bases on a single from Blake Scott, double from Connor Scott and a walk by Mervosh. Hayden Priest brought one run in with a fielder's choice grounder to go up 6-4.
In the sixth inning, three walks along with a double scored a pair of runs for the Mules, tying the game. Washburn responded right away, with five of the first six hitters all reaching base, scoring two runs on doubles from Priest and Connor Scott. One run scored on a wild pitch before Buck blasted his second home run of the game, breaking the game open with a 12-6 lead.
The Mules got one run the next time up, with a leadoff batter reaching on an error and scoring on a sacrifice fly. Kai Bennett finished his outing in the seventh, only allowing the one unearned run to score. Ethan Alexander picked up in the eighth, throwing a 1-2-3 inning.
In the bottom half of the inning Payton McHarg took the first pitch he saw over the wall in right center. Owen Laessig hit a one-out double down the left field line and was brought home on a two-out single into center by Connor Scott to double-up the Mules 14-7.
Alexander remained on the mound in the ninth and took care of business, keeping the score the same to complete the win.
Washburn out-hit Central Missouri 14-7, while the Mules did have 10 walks to just four for the Ichabods along with a 3-1 advantage in errors committed.
Four players took the mound, combining for four strikeouts with three coming from Griffin Huiatt who threw three innings. Kai Bennett moved to 3-2 on the year, earning the win after throwing 1.1. Ethan Alexander finished the game tossing the final two innings.
Three players went yard for the Ichabods, led by two blasts from Jett Buck who drove in a team-high four runs. Payton McHarg and Jackson Mervosh each hit one out, while Connor Scott led all hitters with three hits in the contest.
