By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's Andrew Paulsey secured the series win over rival Emporia State in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, delivering a pinch-hit two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Ichabods a 7-6 walkoff victory at Falley Field.
Washburn's Andrew Paulsey delivered a two-run, walkoff home run on Sunday to give the Ichabods a 7-6 MIAA win over Emporia State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn's Andrew Paulsey wears a big smile as he rounds the bases on Sunday's walkoff home run against Emporia State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Emporia State (16-26 overall, 10-17 MIAA) had gone up 6-5 in the top of the ninth on a two-run home run from Chandler Bloomer, but the Ichabods answered in the bottom of the inning to improve to 24-17 overall and 17-10 in the MIAA.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, former Hayden standout Andrew Schmidtlein reached base after getting hit by the pitch and Paulsey was called upon to be a pinch-hitter and was down in the count 1-2 when he launched a home run down the right field line for the win.
"I have not hit a walkoff home run before, not high school or anything, this is the first time,'' Paulsey said.
Paulsey said he wasn't necessarily thinking home run in that situation and just wanted to prolong the inning.
"I was just thinking, get the next guy up, put a good swing on a good pitch,'' Paulsey said. "Schmidtlein ahead of me got on base and I just knew I had to get to the next guy.''
Paulsey knew when the ball left his bat that it might have a chance to get out of the park.
"It felt pretty good off the bat,'' he said. "I had a feeling. It wasn't really a no-doubter, but I liked the way it felt.''
With Washburn trying to work itself into an NCAA playoff berth and coming off a 10-8 loss to ESU on Saturday, Paulsey said it was important for the Ichabods to try to build some momemtum.
"I think this will give us some good momentum going into this week,'' he said. "Coming off a win is good. We can build off that and have a good week.''
In the opening inning the Hornets got two runners on by way of a walk and single and then Patryk Hernandez emptied the bases with a home run to left field, his third home run of the series.
The Ichabods cut into the deficit in the bottom of the first inning when Cale Savage drew a one-out walk and Ike Book followed that up with a single.
Both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch and then Trey Adams drove the two runs home with a single to center field to trim ESU's lead to 3-2.
Neither team was able to get another run across until the top of the fifth when a leadoff walk eventually came around to score to make it 4-2 in favor of Emporia State.
Washburn pulled within one in the bottom of the sixth when Shane Morrow tripled to right-center and then scored on an RBI groundout by Caden Bressler.
Cole Warner worked a nine-pitch 1-2-3 seventh inning and the Ichabod offense got to work in the bottom half.
Book led off with a single up the middle and Adams was issued a walk.
On a 1-2 pitch, Easton Bruce drove in the tying run with a single to right field and then Schmidtlein knocked in the go-ahead run to give the Ichabods' their first lead of the afternoon at 5-4.
The Ichabods looked to add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth and had runners on the corners with two outs, but a pop-up ended the inning.
Washburn got two quick outs in the top of the ninth before the Hornets worked an eight-pitch walk to keep the inning alive.
On the sixth pitch of his at bat, Bloomer hit his home run to center field to put the Hornets back in front.
Washburn led in hits, 11-6, and seven of the nine starters had at least one hit.
Book was 3-5 with two runs scored. Adams had one hit, two RBI and one run scored. Schmidtlein had a pair of singles, was walked once, and collected an RBI.
Charlie Kiefer was the pitcher of record and received the win, improving to 2-2. He struck out two in the ninth inning.
Warner threw 21/3 innings in relief and surrendered only one hit while striking out three.
Ichabod starter Rane Pfeifer went 52/3 innings and allowed four runs, four hits, four walks, and hit two batters while striking out eight.
After the first inning, he did not allow another hit until the fifth.
Washburn will hit the road for two non-conference games to begin the week, first taking on Southeastern Oklahoma on Monday at 4 p.m. in a neutral site contest in Claremore, Okla.
