By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For much of Friday's second game against Fort Hays State, the No. 17-ranked Washburn Ichabods softball team looked as if it might be headed for only its second doubleheader loss of the season.
Washburn freshman Erin Boles hit a walkoff two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Ichabods a 4-3 second-game win over Fort Hays State Friday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn center-fielder Paige Robbins makes a diving catch in Friday's twinbill sweep with Fort Hays State at Gahnstrom Field. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics.]
But Washburn, which had dropped a tough 2-1 decision in the opener, rallied in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings and earned an MIAA split when Boles stroked a two-out walkoff double to give the Ichabods a 4-3 win.
Washburn (30-8 overall, 9-5 MIAA), which had dropped three of its previous five games, including Friday's first-game loss, struggled at the plate much of the day and also committed six errors in the twinbill, but came to life when it counted to salvage the split.
"We gave them the first game on errors for sure, but we also didn't hit,'' Washburn coach Brenda Holaday said. "As I told our kids, we were kind of on life support there for awhile and I think we had some kids do some nice things for us and gave us a chance to get back in it and eventually win it.
"And anytime you can get some big performances out of some kids that really need it you hope that builds their confidence and they can move on from there.''
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, Washburn tied the score after sophomore Ellington Hogle, a Silver Lake product, started the inning with a 10-pitch walk and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mead.
Gracie Gallagher entered for Hogle as a pinch runner at second and then moved to third on Hadley Kerschen's single to left.
Former Shawnee Heights star Jaycee Ginter followed with a sac fly to left to score Gallagher, who beat the tag at home plate to tie the score at 3-3.
Ginter, who pitched the final two innings, retired all three batters she faced in the eighth to set up Boles' game-winning hit.
Boles' double over the right fielder's head scored Allison Hemsath from second base with the winning run. Hemsath entered as a pinch-runner for Kimi Patterson, who doubled with one out.
"I thought it was really big for Kimi Patterson, who's struggled at the plate for us, to get that double and then Erin Boles, our freshman, we like having her up there when there's pressure on because she seems to not feel it,'' Holaday said. "I thought she put a good swing on it and we walk away 1-1, and it didn't look that way for most of the day, so we'll take that for sure.''
Kerschen had three hits to lead the Ichabods' nine-hit attack while Ginter moved to 21-4 in the circle.
Sadie Walker started the game and pitched 41/3 innings, striking out seven with no walks.
The Tigers scored a run in their first at bat of the second game and the Ichabods came back with a run in the bottom of the third when Kerschen singled to left to score Hogle, who had an infield single.
After the Tigers added single runs in the fourth and the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.
Washburn cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Jaden LaBarge led off the inning with a double and then scored on a triple by Autymn Schreiner.
In the opener, the Tigers (25-14, 7-5 MIAA) broke open a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth when FHSU scored after one of the Ichabods' three errors in the game.
The Tigers added another run in the top of the seventh to take a 2-0 lead.
Washburn cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the seventh when Ginter singled up the middle to score Marrit Mead, but left two runners on as the inning ended.
Ginter was the tough-luck loser in the first game, allowing one earned run with no walks and six strikeouts.
Washburn was limited to six hits, with two coming from Paige Robbins. Overall the Ichabods left nine on base.
Former Shawnee Heights standout Adysen Burghart had a big day for Fort Hays State.
Burghart, a sophomore second baseman, went 3 for 3 in the first game with an RBI and added another hit in the second game, raising her batting average more than 100 points to .292.
Freshman outfielder Carly Stuke, a Hayden product, went 3 for 7 on the day for the Tigers, raising her average to .321.
Washburn will be back in action on Saturday, hosting Nebraska-Kearney in a doubleheader (1 p.m. start).
