TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn led most of the way but needed an extra-inning rally to knock off Fort Hays State 6-5 on Wednesday afternoon, snapping a five-game losing skid. The Ichabods return to the field for three games at home against Northwest Missouri State beginning Friday, March 20 at 4 p.m.
Mark Hoffman started the game off on the mound with a nine-pitch scoreless first inning. The score stayed at zero for both sides until the top of the third. After a double and hit batter an error in the field allowed an unearned run to score, putting the Tigers (9-15, 6-8 MIAA) in front.
Ian Luce picked up the first hit for Washburn (9-15, 6-6 MIAA) with two outs in the bottom of the inning, a double. Levi Risenhoover followed with a home run that cleared the trees in left field, putting the Ichabods up 2-1.
In the fourth Jackson Mervosh led off with a double. He moved to third on a balk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chase Littrell to go up 3-1. Washburn added another run in the fifth beginning with a leadoff walk from Trenton Barry. Luce and Risenhoover both slashed singles to put another run on the board.
The score stayed that way into the seventh inning with the Fort Hays State leadoff reaching on an error. The next batter hit a home run to left, pulling within one. A two-out single tied the game at four.
Griffin Huiatt came on in the eight inning and tossed a scoreless frame. In the bottom half the Ichabods loaded the bases but were unable to bring a run across. Fidel Hatch took the baton in the ninth and stranded one on base in a scoreless frame.
The game went to extras after Washburn came up empty in the bottom of the ninth. Fort Hays State took advantage of an error in the field and were able to scratch across one in the top of the tenth.
An error with one out put one in for the Ichabods in the bottom of the tenth. Jack Borgmann followed with a triple into the right field corner that tied the game. Littrell lifted a ball to deep center that served as a walk-off ground-rule double to win the game 6-5.
The final at-bat of the game gave Washburn a 9-8 advantage in hits, while they also led 4-3 in walks. There were three errors in the field by the Ichabods with one for the Tigers.
Five pitchers combined to go ten innings led by 5.1 for Mark Hoffman in his start, allowing just one unearned run with two strikeouts. Fidel Hatch earned the win, moving to 1-1 on the year, throwing 2.0 innings with one unearned run allowed.
Levi Risenhoover went 3-5 at the plate with a home run, a double and three RBI. Ian Luce had a multi-hit day going 2-5 while Chase Littrell drove in two going 1-3.
