By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PITTSBURG -- After a nearly two-hour rain delay in the fifth inning, Washburn baseball outscored Northeastern State 13-2 the rest of the way to knock the RiverHawks out of the MIAA Tournament Wednesday with a 16-6 seven-inning win.
Washburn baseball advanced in the MIAA tournament with a 16-6 win over Northeastern State Wednesday in Pittsburg. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will take on No. 15 Pittsburg State at noon on Thursday in the quarterfinal round.
After a pair of scoreless innings from Caden Bressler on the mound to begin the game, Washburn (27-24) was able to go in front in the second.
Jackson Mervosh led off with a single and was moved to second on a knock by Easton Bruce and third on a wild pitch. With two outs Bruce got into a rundown and allowed Mervosh to come home for the game's first run.
The RiverHawks (16-34) answered back with a two-out RBI single to center, tying the game in the top of the third.
In the home half the Ichabods loaded the bases but were unable to break the tie. Northeastern State took advantage, going in front in the fourth on a two-run homer to left.
A two-out walk in the bottom of the inning was followed by a double off the wall in center field by Cash Jay, playing his first game in nearly a month.
Another double, this one off the bat of Payton McHarg, scored Jay and tied the game at three.
The RiverHawks loaded the bases with one out fifth and scored one on an error to go in front just before the game entered the rain delay.
Griffin Huiatt took over on the mound after the delay and struck out his one and only batter to strand a pair.
Jett Buck gave Washburn the momentum, taking a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left for a solo blast.
Mervosh walked and Connor Scott was hit by a pitch, putting two on with one out.
Darian Duhon drove both home with a single up the middle to go in front. Another run scored on a grounder by McHarg to make the WU lead three runs.
Northeastern State strung together three hits in the sixth to score a pair of runs and make it 7-6. The Ichabods quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, scoring one on a bases-loaded walk by Connor Scott. Jay scored three more, slashing a double into the left-field corner to go up by five.
Caleb Lunnon delivered a scoreless top of the seventh inning, striking out a pair.
In the home half Hayden Priest walked and quickly scored on a double by Buck. Mervosh kept the line moving with a single to score Buck.
The bases loaded on walks by Bruce and Scott with one scoring on another knock by Duhon. Jay worked a bases- loaded walk and Blake Scott lifted a sacrifice fly to score a fifth run of the inning and walk it off on a 16-6 run rule.
The Ichabods out-hit the RiverHawks 14-10 while also working 11 walks compared to six. They also overcame a 3-0 deficit in errors.
On the mound, four pitchers combined to finish the game for Washburn, led by 4.1 innings from Bressler, giving up three earned. Lunnon earned his fifth win with 2.0 innings and striking out three.
Jay led the charge at the plate, going 3-3 with two walks and five RBI. Mervosh also had three hits while Buck, Bruce and Duhon had two each. Duhon drove in three runs.
Colton Ayres led the offense for Northeastern State, with three hits and two RBI.
