TOPEKA, Kan. - The Washburn Ichabod softball team moved to 16-3 on the season scoring 27 runs in its two games on the second day of the Washburn Invitational at Washburn's Gahnstrom Field with a pair of run-rule wins over Minnesota State and Drury. Washburn wraps up the final day of the event facing Minnesota Crookston at 1 p.m. as all games at all three sites have been pushed back one hour to allow for warmer temperatures.
Game 1 - WU 15, MSU 2
Washburn erupted for nine runs in the second inning and never looked back, rolling to a 15-2 win in five innings Saturday in the opening game with Minnesota State.
The Ichabods finished with 15 runs on 10 hits and drawing six walks, scoring in four of the first five innings while blasting three home runs in the run-rule victory. Minnesota State Mankato was limited to just three hits and struck out seven times against the Washburn pitching staff.
Washburn struck first in the opening frame as
Dalaney Anderson singled to center to plate
Makenzie Sais, who had walked and stolen second. After the Mavericks tied the game on a solo home run in the second, the Ichabods answered with a nine-spot in the bottom of the frame.
The second inning turned the game into a rout. Sais ripped a two-run double down the left-field line,
Taylor Brees followed with a two-run single to center, and
Kate Ediger added a two-run single.
Kierra Goos capped the nine-run outburst with a three-run homer to left-center, pushing the lead to 10-1.
Washburn added two more in the third when
Madi Moore launched a two-run homer to left, scoring Anderson, who had doubled earlier in the inning. In the fourth,
Kate Dolan delivered the final blow with a three-run homer to left field to make it 15-1.
Anderson led the Ichabods at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Goos drove in three runs with her home run, while Dolan also had 3 RBI on her pinch-hit blast. Sais finished with 2 RBI and two runs scored, Brees drove in two, Ediger added 2 RBI, and Moore tallied 2 RBI on her third-inning homer as Washburn's lineup produced 15 RBI on 10 hits.
In the circle,
Sadie Walker started and allowed one run on two hits over two innings with three strikeouts.
Jenna Sprague earned the win in relief, tossing three innings and giving up just one run on one hit while striking out four.
Game 2 - WU 12, DU 4
The Ichabods erupted for six runs in the third inning and never looked back, rolling to a 12-4 run-rule victory over Drury on Saturday afternoon at Gahnstrom Field. The win moved Washburn to 16-3 on the season.
Washburn's offense came alive in the bottom of the third.
Dalaney Anderson, tied the game with an RBI single before
Kate Ediger blew it open with a towering three-run homer to center field. Moments later, shortstop
Maddie McGee added a two-run blast, capping a six-run, six-hit inning that put Washburn ahead 7-2.
Anderson continued her strong day with RBI contributions in the fifth and sixth innings, finishing 3-for-5 with 3 RBI and two runs scored. Ediger drove in three, while McGee scored two runs drawing two walks with a hit. Brees recorded a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored. Washburn totaled 11 hits and 10 walks in the victory.
Aspen Burgardt added two hits, including a double during Washburn's big third inning.
In the circle, Washburn received strong relief pitching.
Jalin Lavers earned the win after tossing three innings, allowing two runs while holding Drury at bay.
Jenna Sprague closed the final two frames with scoreless work.
Drury was led by Landry Cochran's three hits and an RBI, while Haley Bryant provided an early spark with a solo home run in the second. Drury briefly took a 2-0 lead before Washburn stormed back.
Washburn added three insurance runs in the fifth, including an RBI single by Brees and a sacrifice fly from Moore, before Anderson's RBI in the sixth sealed the 12-4 run-rule decision.
