ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A quiet offensive outing late allowed Missouri Western to walk-off Washburn 7-6 in the series-opener on Friday night. The Ichabods are set to play game two beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday in St. Joseph with weather permitting.
After a scoreless first inning on the mound for Kai Bennett it was Washburn (12-21, 9-11 MIAA) that got on the board first in the second inning. Brooks Richardson grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Jack Borgmann who singled with one out. In the home half the Griffons (16-17) put together three hits and a walk all coming with two outs to score three and go in front.
The Ichabods chipped away with Ian Luce slicing a triple to left center and scoring on a sacrifice fly from Levi Risenhoover in the third. Bennett settled in on the mound holding Missouri Western without a hit in the third, fourth or fifth innings.
The score stayed 3-2 until the sixth inning as Washburn was able to work the bases loaded on a single by Eli Dean and walks by Owen Laessig and Trenton Barry. Luce also worked a walk, tying the game at three. With two outs an error in the field on a grounder allowed all three runners on base to come around and score, putting the Ichabods up 6-3.
The Griffons answered back, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with two scoring on wild pitches to tie the game. Blake Priest recorded the final two outs in the sixth and stayed on to toss scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
At the plate Washburn had one hit over the final three innings as the game stayed tied at six into the bottom of the ninth. With two outs the Griffons connected on a 2-1 pitch for a home run to left field, walking off the game winning 7-6.
The walk off was the difference in the hit tallies as Missouri Western led 7-6 in hits although the Ichabods had a 11-7 advantage in walks drawn. Two errors were committed in the field by the Griffons.
Three pitchers worked all nine for Washburn with Kai Bennett going 5.1 innings with five strikeouts and six earned. Blake Priest struck out five over 2.2 scoreless. No player managed more than one hit at the plate. Eli Dean reached four times going 1-2 with two walks and was hit. Trenton Barry and Ian Luce each went 1-3 with two walks as well.
