By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn jumped out to a quick start offensively and never looked back Tuesday, taking a 13-8 road decision over MIAA foe Fort Hays State in Hays.
The Ichabods take a break from conference play this weekend as they head to the Drury Invitational for four games beginning Friday.
Both sides traded scoring blow early on Tuesday, first with Washburn (5-6 overall, 3-1 MIAA) going up 1-0 with a Brandt Beeby RBI groundout in the first innning scoring Ian Luce, who led off with a double. The Tigers (4-10, 1-3) came back with two runs on a pair of hits and an error in the bottom of the inning to go in front.
Washburn's Owen Laessig laced a double in the second that tied the game, scoring Trenton Barry, who was hit by a pitch.
Brooks Richardson and Luce both followed with singles to score Laessig and put Washburn up 3-2. The game was evened with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the inning by Fort Hays State.
In the fourth inning the Ichabods loaded the bases with singles by Laessig and Luce along with a walk to Chase Littrell.
Jackson Mervosh was hit by a pitch, scoring one, and Beeby hit a sacrifice fly to add another. Easton Wasinger delivered a single to center field to score two more runs and make it a 7-3 game.
Luce continued the scoring for Washburn in the fifth, smashing a two-run homer to right, scoring Barry to go up 9-3.
Fidel Hatch took over on the mound in the fourth inning, throwing a pair of scoreless innings. In the top of the sixth Beeby led off with a double and was followed by a two-run homer from Levi Risenhoover.
The bases were loaded up again and Luce deposited another run with a sacrifice fly to go up 12-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, Fort Hays State took advantage of an error in the field to score two runs. They would add two more in the eighth inning, this time coming on four hits to pull within five.
In the visitors half of the ninth Beeby plated another run with a two-out double to add some insurance. The Tigers scored one in the bottom of the ninth as Washburn rolled to a 13-8 win.
The Ichabods led 13-10 in hits and 9-5 in walks, which helped to make up for three errors in the field, while Fort Hays State played an error-free game.
Five pitchers appeared in the game for Washburn combining for four strikeouts. Mark Hoffmann started and earned the win allowing one earned run over three innings. Hatch tossed three scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.
At the plate Luce went 4 for 5 with a home run, a double and four RBI. Laessig went 3-4 with an RBI and a walk while Beeby and Risenhoover both had two hits and drove in multiple runs.
