JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Washburn offense was quieted Friday afternoon as they fell 9-3 to Missouri Southern in the series-opener. The Ichabods will take the field for game two at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Joplin.  

Kai Bennett got the start for Washburn (8-13, 5-4 MIAA) and delivered a pair of scoreless innings to open the game as neither team got on the board. The Lions (10-10) strung together two hits with a sacrifice fly to score one in the third. The score stayed that way until Missouri Southern broke the game open scoring four runs on three hits in the fifth. 

The next two runs in the game came from the Lions in the bottom of the sixth to go up 7-0. The Ichabod offense got off to a slow start, being held without a hit until Trenton Barry led off the seven with a single. Brandt Beeby slashed a one-out double to put Washburn on the board.  

Missouri Southern responded with two runs in the home half of the seventh. Washburn got two runs in the ninth on a two-out single by Easton Wasinger to make it 9-3 but that was as close as they got to end the game.  

The Lions led 11-5 in hits and 3-2 in walks, while the only error in the game was from the Ichabods. Four pitchers combined to throw for Washburn with three strikeouts in the game. Kai Bennett went 4.1 innings with two earned runs allowed and a pair of strikeouts.  

Brandt Beeby was the only Ichabod to reach base twice, going 1-3 with a walk and an RBI, Easton Wasinger drove in the other two. 

Owen Schneider went 7.2 innings with seven strikeouts and one earned for Missouri Southern.