By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University softball didn't get the weekend it was looking for, needing a pair of second-game victories to earn MIAA splits with Fort Hays State on Friday and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
But No. 17-ranked Washburn ended the homestand with a decisive 7-0 win over the Lopers and the Ichabods, 31-9 overall, 10-6 in the conference, will try to build some momentum off that performance entering an eight-game road trip.
Washburn junior Marrit Mead went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 7-0 second-game win over Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
"It's a tough game and a tough conference and when you're not playing your best the teams are just that good and they're going to take advantage of it,'' Washburn coach Brenda Holaday said. "We haven't played good ball the last couple of weekends and because of that we're .500 over that time.
"We realize we've kind of thrown away an opportunity to fight for a conference title and now we've got to fight to get in the tournament and get some things turned around. They're good kids and they're hard-workers but it's kind of like everything else, it's contagious. When we're hitting everybody hits and when we're not nobody hits and it's maddening and frustrating for sure.''
Washburn's rally came up short in Saturday's opener with the Ichabods dropping a 3-2 decision, but the Ichabods led from start to finish in the second game at Gahnstrom Field.
The Ichabods wasted little time in the second game jumping on UNK starter Madison Rosenthal, who picked up the save in the opening game, by scoring one run in the first inning then adding two more in the second to take control.
In the first, Sante Fe Trail product Marrit Mead singled to left and then moved to 24 for 24 in stolen base attempts on the season by swiping second base. Mead moved to third on Hadley Kerschens' single to left and came home to score when Kerschen was thrown out at second on a steal attempt as the Ichabods went up 1-0.
In the second inning, Washburn Rural product Jenna Moore drew a one-out walk and moved up to second after former Silver Lake standout Ellington Hogle dropped down a sacriice bunt, leading to a UNK pitching change.
On Stacy Bott's second pitch Mead sent the ball over the left-field fence to push the Washburn lead to 3-0.
The Ichabods were held scoreless in the third inning but added two more in the fourth when Kaylee Wagner led off the inning with a single and Allison Hemsath entered as a pinch runner. After Hemsath stole second base, Moore singled down the left-field line to send Hemsath home, leading to another pitching change for the Lopers.
Hogle singled and then Kerschen singled off of first-game winning pitcher Faith Gaynor's leg on a hot shot up the middle, sending Moore home as Washburn pushed the lead to 5-0.
In the sixth, the Ichabods scored two more times on five hits as Moore started things off with a single, winning the 11-pitch at bat. Moore moved to second after a single by Hogle.
Mead singled to center to load the bases and after a fielder's choice, Jaycee Ginter singled to right, driving in both Mead and Hogle.
Former Holton standout Sadie Walker, a freshman, picked up the pitching win to improve to 5-3, tossing a career-high six innings and tying a career-high with seven strikeouts before giving away to Sheyenne Creek, who pitched the final inning.
Mead had three hits to pace the Ichabods' 12-hit attack while Kerschen, Moore and Hogle all had two hits.
Mead also scored three times and Moore scored twice in the win.
In the first game the Lopers scored two runs in the top of the third and then added one more in the top of the sixth to take a 3-0 lead entering the bottom of the frame.
In the ensuing at bat, the Ichabods' Hogle recorded a one-out single and then after Mead'sdouble to left-center, both came around to score on a single to center by Kerschen. However the Ichabods finished the inning with a hard-hit lineout and a strikeout, ending the rally.
The Lopers (14-24, 5-9 MIAA) went down in order in the top of the seventh
In the bottom of the seventh, the Ichabods' Jaden LaBarge led off the inning with a walk and then entering as a pinch runner for LaBarge, Gracie Gallagher moved to second on a sac bunt by Paige Robbins, but she would advance no more as the game came to an end.
Shawnee Heights product Ginter fell to 21-6 in the circle, striking out 10 while scattering five hits in the complete game.
Five different batters had a single hit for the Ichabods.
Washburn will return to action at Missouri Southern next Friday in Joplin, Mo.
