By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball battled back from a 7-1 deficit to take a 10-9 MIAA win on Saturday afternoon, evening the series with Northwest Missouri State at one game each.
Griffin Huiatt picked up the win in Washburn's 10-9 victory over Northwest Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The rubber match is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Bearcats (18-8 overall, 8-4 MIAA) put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning scoring two on a one-out double after a hit and an error led off the game.
Washburn's Jackson Mervosh led off the second inning with a single, moving to second on an error. He moved to third and scored on an RBI groundout by Chase Littrell to pull the Ichabods within one run.
Northwest Missouri put two runners on in the third before smashing back-to-back home runs to go up 6-1.
The Bearcats went yard again in the next inning, hitting a solo home run.
Washburn (10-16, 7-7) started the fourth inning with a pair of walks. With two outs Owen Laessig hit a single deep in the left side of the infield to score one and make it 7-2 after four.
In the sixth inning Mervosh led off with a double and after a single by Jack Borgmann and Littrell was hit by a pitch the bases were loaded. Brooks Richardson was hit by a pitch, and Laessig followed with a single, each scoring a run.
Trenton Barry delivered a sacrifice fly, scoring another run, and Ian Luce doubled down the left-field line to pull WU within one at 7-6.
After a second straight scoreless inning by pitcher Fidel Hatch the Ichabods got back to work at the plate.
Doubles from Easton Wasinger and then Borgmann tied the game at seven.
Littrell slashed a single down the right-field line, scoring Borgmann to put Washburn in front 8-7.
The next half inning Northwest Missouri strung together four straight baserunners, scoring two on a one-out single into left to go back in front.
However, the lead was short lived, with Barry working a leadoff walk in the eighth and Luce slashing a double to left-center, tying the game at nine.
With two outs Borgmann slashed another double into the outfield, scoring Luce to put Washburn in front.
After entering in the eighth and recording the final two outs, Washburn's Griffin Huiatt stayed on the mound in the ninth and sat down the Bearcats in order to secure the 10-9 win.
Northwest Missouri State out-hit the Ichabods 13-12 while walks went in favor of Washburn, 7-5. Each team committed one error in the contest.
Three pitchers combined to throw all nine innings for the Ichabods. Hatch took over for Caleb Lunnon after three innings, he tossed 4.1 with three runs allowed an a strikeout.
Huiatt secured the win with 1.2 scoreless and a pair of punchouts.
At the plate Borgmann went 3-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. Laessig went 3-4 while driving in three and Luce went 2-3 with two RBI and two walks. Mervosh also reached four times with two hits and a pair of walks.
