By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball built an early lead over No. 5-ranked Pittsburg State but were unable to overcome three home runs from the Gorillas, falling 10-7 in the series-opener on Thursday evening at Steve Anson Stadium.
The Ichabods will look to even the series in game two at 4 p.m. on Friday.
Washburn (20-28 overall, 16-18 MIAA) opened up a 7-2 advantage in the bottom of the fourth inning but Pittsburg State (39-8, 26-8) roared back as former Seaman star Dagen Brewer hit a solo homer in the fifth inning and a two-run shot in the sixth before Seth Dandridge smacked a two-run homer to put the Gorillas in front.
With his second home run Thursday, Brewer, in his second year in the program, set the Pitt State career home run record with 47, passing Andrew Vogelbaugh, who slugged 46 round-trippers over four seasons from 2015-18.
After Washburn starting pitcher Kai Bennett delivered a scoreless first two innings the hosts got on the board with a two-run blast by Brooks Richardson that drove in Brandt Beeby, who doubled with two outs.
The Gorillas answered with two runs in the third on two hits and two walks to tie the game but Washburn's Ian Luce broke the tie with a leadoff home run off the scoreboard in right field making it 3-2 Ichabods.
Beeby cleared the wall in left-center to begin the fourth inning. Walks from Richardson and Eli Dean put two runners on before Jack Borgmann reached on a two-out infield single that loaded the bases.
Levi Risenhoover then cleared the bases with a triple into the gap in right-center that made it a 7-2 Ichabod advantage.
Pittsburg State answered back with Brewers's solo home run to begin the fifth followed by a pair of singles that plated another run.
Brewers's two-run shot made it a one-run game before the Gorillas were able to take the lead on Dandridge's two-run home run in the seventh.
Pitt State added two more runs on a single up the middle with two outs in the ninth while the Washburn offense managed just one hit in the final three innings.
Pittsburg State led 14-11 in hits while also working a 7-3 advantage in walks. Both errors in the game were committed by the Ichabods.
Four pitchers were used by Washburn, with Bennett tossing 4.0 innings in his start and allowing two earned runs. Fidel Hatch (2-3) look the loss.
Risenhoover went 2-3 and drove in a team-high three runs for Washburn.
The Gorillas remained in first place in the MIAA standings with two games remaining in the regular season.
Ricardo Hernandez picked up his first win of the season for Pitt State, limiting the Ichabods to two hits over 2.1 innings of relief work.
Cason Long clinched the win, following Hernandez with 3.0 innings of one-hit relief work and striking out four batters along the way.
Eric Bacon went 4 for 5 at the plate with two runs scored and three RBI.
