By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball scored three runs in the eighth inning Sunday to take a 4-3 MIAA comeback Senior Day victory over Newman, completing a series sweep in the regular-season finale.
Washburn baseball honored its 19 seniors prior to Sunday's 4-3 MIAA win over Newman. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods, 26-24 overall and 18-18 in the MIAA, will now await their seeding for the MIAA Tournament, which will begin in Joplin, Mo. on Wednesday, May 7.
Before Sunday's game Washburn recognized its 19-player senior class on the field.
Just like the day before the Jets offense got started early, loading the bases with no outs after an error, walk and a single.
One run came in to score on a groundout double play before Washburn starting pitcher Caleb Lunnon escaped the jam with a strikeout to keep the score at 1-0.
The next three innings were all scoreless ones on the mound for the junior Lunnon and he struck out the side in the fourth.
The Ichabod offense was finally able to pick up its first hit off the bat of Hayden Priest with one out in the home half of the fourth. Jackson Mervosh followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position and the Ichabods would load the bases but were unable to tie the game.
Next time up for Newman (10-33, 6-27), the Jets got three straight hits with one out, a single followed by a pair of ground-rule doubles, with each producing a run to put the Jets up 3-0.
Lunnon exited the game in the sixth inning and was replaced by Logan Bartlett. The bases were loaded by Newman before the senior escaped the jam.
Washburn was able to get on the board in the bottom of the inning after a one-out single by Jett Buck, followed by a two-out double into the left-field corner to score him.
Cal Leonard took over on the mound with two on and no out in the seventh, getting a pair of ground balls with one going for a double play to get out of the jam.
Leonard stayed on and delivered a scoreless top of the eighth as well.
Priest led off the home half with a single and was quicky brought home on a triple by Buck that got to the wall in center field.
Mervosh followed with a double down the left-field line, tying the game at three. A wild pitch allowed Mervosh to cross home plate as WU took the lead.
Chase Torkelson took over on the mound in the ninth and delivered his first save of the season, facing the minimum with the series coming to a close on a 5-4-3 double play to close the door.
Washburn was out-hit by the Jets 9-8 while the visitors also had a 7-3 advantage in walks.
Four Ichabods took the mound in the game with all eight strikeouts coming from Lunnon, a season-high, in his 5.2 innings of work.
Leonard threw two scoreless innings, needing only 12 pitches, and earned the win, moving to 3-0.
At the plate Priest, Mervosh and Buck all had multi-hit days. Mervosh had a pair of doubles, giving him 24 on the season, a new program record in a single campaign.
Newman starting pitcher Gio De Graauw threw 120 pitches in 7.0 innings with 10 strikouts, but was left with the loss.
