WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Washburn didn't get its first hit until the sixth inning but went on to score 18 runs in the final four innings and earn its first win of the season 18-7 over Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday afternoon. The Ichabods are back at it at 12 p.m. on Sunday against Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Maclane Finley made his first start for Washburn (1-1) and delivered a strong start to the game with three scoreless innings to start. In the fourth inning a pair of walks and a single put the Sailfish on the board 1-0.
The first Ichabod hit came from Jackson Mervosh with a double down the line in the sixth. He was able to come around to score on a passed ball to tie the game. An error put a runner on for Palm Beach Atlantic in the home half of the inning and it was followed with a home run to put them back in front.
Neither team scored in the seventh inning with Gavin Wilhelm coming out of the bullpen to toss a scoreless frame. In the eighth a one-out walk was followed by a double from Easton Wasinger, scoring Owen Laessig. An error in the field would tie the game up at three still with one out.
Five consecutive walks along with a wild pitch scored four runs. Laessig hit a sacrifice fly to plate another. Washburn got three more runs in the inning from a hit batter and two on an error to make it 11-3 heading into the home half of the eighth.
Max Strash tossed a scoreless bottom of the inning after the long wait. In the top of the ninth Levi Risenhoover singled to lead off with the next three batters reaching on free passes to score a run. Laessig laced a single to score two more. Jack Borgmann was hit by a pitch for a second straight inning to score a run and Eli Dean added two more with a double down the left field line. He scored on a wild pitch to make it an 18-3 ballgame.
Palm Beach Atlantic picked up six hits in the bottom of the ninth but scored just four runs as Washburn won for the first time in 2026, 18-7.
The Ichabods were out-hit 12-7 in the game but a program record 17 walks at the dish along with three hit batters were the difference in the victory. They shattered the previous high of 13 which came on April 3, 2004 against Missouri-Rolla.
On the mound three pitchers combined to strike out seven while walking seven. Maclane Finley pitched 6.0 innings with a pair of strikeouts and just one earned run. Gavin Wilhelm earned the win with one strikeout in his one inning of work.
Five players had multiple walks in the game for the Ichabods. Owen Laessig drove in a team-high three runs, Levi Risenhoover reached three times with one RBI while Jack Borgmann and Eli Dean each drove in a pair.
