BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Washburn Ichabod softball team opened its weekend pounding out 21 runs on 20 hits in its first action in Arkansas at the Alvy Memorial Classic. Washburn returns to action on Saturday with two more games starting at 11:30 a.m. against William Jewell and Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Game 1 – WU 8, MST 2
In the opener, Washburn used a four-run third inning and a solid start from Sadie Walker to defeat Missouri S&T 8-2 on Friday in their opener in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Missouri S&T struck first in the second on a solo home run by Taylor Nelson, but the Ichabods answered with five hits in the bottom of the third to take control. Taylor Brees singled and later scored on an RBI hit from Dalaney Anderson tying the game. Aspen Burgardt followed with a run-scoring single, and Kate Ediger broke it open with a two-run double to give Washburn a 4-1 advantage.

The Miners cut the deficit to two in the fourth on an RBI single from Molly Fitzgerald, but Washburn responded again in the fifth. Anderson doubled to start the inning and came around to score as the Ichabods plated three more runs. Maddie McGee delivered an RBI single and Brees added an RBI groundout as Washburn extended the lead to 7-2. The Ichabods added their final run in the sixth when Ashlyn Gaughan pinch ran, stole third and scored on an Anderson groundout.
Walker improved to 3-0, allowing just four hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings while striking out six and Kierra Goos pitched the remaining inning-plus to finish off the game.

Washburn finished with 10 hits, led by Anderson's 3-for-4 performance with two RBI and two runs scored. McGee added two hits and an RBI, while Ediger drove in two and Burgardt scored twice. Brees added a hit, RBI and run scored as Washburn improved to 5-1 on the season. Missouri S&T was limited to four hits in the loss.

Game 2 – WU 13, HU 1 (6 innings)
Washburn exploded for six runs in the opening inning and never looked back, rolling to a 13-1 win over Harding in the Ichabods' second game of the day on Friday in six innings.

The Ichabods sent 11 batters to the plate in the first, collecting five hits and taking advantage of patience at the plate. Madi Moore started the scoring with a two-run single, Kate Ediger added an RBI single and Maddie McGee followed with an RBI hit. Washburn also scored on a passed ball and a steal of home by Taybor Moss to build a 6-0 lead before Harding came to the plate.

Harding's lone run came on a solo home run by Baylee McGregor in the second, but Washburn answered again in the fourth when Dalaney Anderson launched a two-run homer to extend the lead to 8-1.

The Ichabods broke it open in the sixth with five more runs. Anderson struck again with her second two-run homer of the game, Makenzie Sais scored after a leadoff single and two stolen bases, and Karlyn Bowman ripped an RBI double off the bench. Washburn added two more runs on Harding errors to cap the scoring.

Anderson powered the offense, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. Sais finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three stolen bases swiping three bases in a single game three times already this year, while McGee added two hits and an RBI. Moore drove in two runs and Ediger and Bowman each collected RBI hits as Washburn totaled 10 hits and drew seven walks.

Kierra Goos earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on five hits over five innings while striking out two. Jenna Sprague tossed a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts to close it out. Washburn did not commit an error defensively.