By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University baseball squad rolled to a seven-inning 12-2 non-conference victory over Emporia State on Tuesday afternoon to capture its fifth straight win.
The Ichabods have now won 11 of their last 12 games and will resume MIAA play at Newman this weekend, March 4-6.
For the third straight game, Washburn, 12-4 on the season, got on the board in the first inning. Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli led off with a walk and then moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cal Watkins. With two out, Zion Bowlin ripped a single to left field to give the Ichabods a 1-0 lead.
Zion Bowlin had a big day at the plate with two doubles and three RBI as Washburn posted a 12-2 non-conference victory over Emporia State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Hornets (5-10) leveled the score in the top of the second with an RBI single.
In the home half of the second, Quinn Waterbury singled up the middle and advanced to third on Cale Savage's double down the left field line. Down in the count 0-2, Clark-Chiapparelli brought both Ichabods in with a single to center to make it a 3-1 game.
Emporia State got one run back the following inning with a two-out single through the left side to cut Washburn's lead to 3-2.
The Ichabods added a pair of insurance runs in the third. Bowlin reached on an infield single and advanced to third on Brett Ingram's two-base hit. Connor Scott recorded on RBI with a sacrifice fly and the next batter, Kros Bay, safely reached on an error by the third baseman and Ingram easily made it home for the second run of the frame.
In the bottom of the fourth, Washburn pushed its lead to 9-2. A single, hit batter, and another single loaded up the bases and a passed ball allowed Clark-Chiapparelli to score. Bowlin came up to the dish swinging and hit the first pitch to left center for a two-RBI double. Ingram followed that up with a single to score Bowlin.
The Ichabods scored their final runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a double-digit lead. Bowlin led off the inning with another double and later scored on a fielder's choice that resulted in an error. A wild pitch scored Ingram and moved Scott up into scoring position. Waterbury recorded an RBI groundout that brought home Scott to make it a12-2 game.
WU pitcher Cash Crane closed out the seventh and left runners stranded at first and third with a groundout to end the game.
The Ichabods pounded out 12 hits with six Ichabods recording at least one. Bowlin was a perfect 4-4 at the plate and had three RBI and three runs scored. Ingram went 3-3 and scored twice and drove in one run. Also with a multi-hit game was Clark-Chiapparelli, who went 2-3 and scored two runs to go with two RBI.
Washburn starter CharlieKiefer picked up his second straight win and is now 2-1 on the season. He went four innings and allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and struck out five.
Austin Gerety pitched the fifth inning and got three strikeouts. Wyatt Hardy allowed just one hit in the sixth and Crane also surrendered just one hit in his inning.
