TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn battled through a nearly three-hour long rain delay to win 6-3 over Emporia State on Sunday afternoon and win the series. The Ichabods will wrap up the regular season with a three-game series against Pittsburg State beginning Thursday, APril 30 at 5 p.m.
The Hornets (32-15, 19-14 MIAA) got on the board first with a leadoff hit batter coming around to score on a one-out single up the middle. A leadoff walk scored on a double for Emporia State in the second before an error extended the inning allowing another run to come across with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
Levi Risenhoover led off the home half getting hit by a pitch and Easton Wasinger followed with a single to put runners on the corner. An RBI grounder by Jackson Mervosh scored one run and an error kept the Ichabods (20-27, 16-17 MIAA) at zero outs. An RBI groundout by Owen Laessig scored another and with two outs Brooks Richardson punched a single into left to score another run and tie the game.
Gavin Wilhelm tossed scoreless third and fourth innings to keep the score tied. Brandt Beeby led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, moved to third and scored on an RBI groundout by Brooks Richardson putting Washburn in front.
Wilhelm and Blake Priest combined to toss a scoreless fifth. In the sixth it was Priest and Mark Hoffman that worked to strand two Hornets and maintain the lead. With two outs in the top of the eighth the game was delayed for nearly three hours. After the delay Griffin Huiatt finished inning with a punchout. Mervosh led off the home half with a single. Back-to-back doubles by Brandt Beeby and Eli Dean each scored a run to make it 6-3.
Huiatt stayed on to record the final three outs of the game to secure the series victory. Washburn led 9-8 in hits while Emporia State had a 5-4 edge in walks and had just one error to two in the field from the Ichabods.
Four pitchers took the mound for Washburn. Gavin Wilhelm went 4.1 innings allowing two earned runs with five strikeouts. Mark Hoffman earned the win tossing 2.0 scoreless while Blake Priest and Griffin Huiatt each went 1.1 innings with Huiatt earning a save.
Two players had multi-hit days led by Brandt Beeby going 3-3 with a pair of doubles to drive in one run. Trenton Barry went 2-3 and drove in a pair while Brooks Richardson also picked up two RBI.
