By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabods moved to 30-11 overall and 12-2 in the MIAA Friday with a 4-0, 6-1 doubleheader road sweep over Fort Hays State.
The Ichabods pushed their win streak to 10 straight games while former Shawnee Heights star Jaycee Ginter was the winning pitcher in the first game, improving to 20-3 on the season.
Washburn star sophomore pitcher Jaycee Ginter improved to 20-3 with a 4-0 shutout win over Fort Hays State on Friday in Hays. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn scored all four of their runs in the first-game win in the fourth inning.
Ginter started off the inning with a walk and after a walk to Ashton Friend, Autymn Schreiner singled and then Jaden LaBarge's pinch-hit single to center scored Ginter and Friend.
Maddie Stipsitsdrew a walk and then Marrit Mead singled to drive in LaBarge and Stipsits.
Ginter turned in a complete-game shutout in the opener, striking out eight while walking one and allowing four hits.
Ginter became the first Ichabod to record at least 20 wins in a single season since Lauren Thimmesch accomplished that feat in 2015. Ginter also went over the 200-strikeout mark with her 202nd against the Tigers.
Mead was 3 for 4 with two RBI and a double and LaBarge drove in two.
The Tigers (16-21, 2-8) got on board first in the second game with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, but it would be the only run for the host squad.
Washburn started a third-inning rally with a single by Kaylee Wagner and after moving to second on a sac bunt by Kimi Patterson, Wagner scored on a single by Mead. After Paige Robbins was hit by a pitch, Mead scored on a single by Ginter and then Robbins crossed home on a sac fly by Friend as Washburn went up, 3-1.
After a scoreless fourth, the Ichabods put two on the board to stretch their lead to 5-1 after a single by Robbins and a two-run homer by Ginter, driving in her 44th run of the season.
The Ichabods wrapped up the scoring with Robbins' first career home run as Washburn went up, 6-1.
Robbins led the Ichabods with three hits while scoring three of Washburn's six runs. Ginter drove in three.
Ashie Thissen moved to 2-0 on the season, tossing five innings and allowing an earned run while scattering five hits and striking out two. Raegen Hamm pitched two scoreless innings in relief, striking out two.
The Ichabods will play an MIAA twinbill at Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
