On Thursday April 17, the Ichabods played host to interleague rivals, Emporia State in a 3-game series. Washburn grabbed an early lead against the Hornets after the first inning leading 2-0, but from there on out the game was all Emporia as they rolled off 11 straight runs before Washburn tacked on one more run. Emporia State would go on to win the game, 11-3. 

On Friday, Washburn took on Emporia State in game two of the series. After the performance the day before, Washburn was looking to avenge the loss against their rival. This time, Emporia State struck first in the top of the fourth to give them a 1-0 lead. Washburn would answer right back in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. Emporia State would eventually rally off three runs in the top of the seventh inning to put them up 4-1, a lead they would never relinquish as Washburn would fall in game two of the series.

On Saturday, after having two days of not much offense, Washburn came ready to end the series on a high note before Easter. The Ichabods would tally up seven early runs against the Hornets which proved to be the deciding factor as the Ichabods would nab game three of the series from the Hornets. Leading the way in the batter’s box was infielder Brady Hoover who led the Ichabods with the hits that included a two-run home run. On the pitcher’s mound, Brock Gilliam threw 8 innings and only gave up three runs to help the Ichabods close the series out against the Hornets, 7-3. 

Washburn would take a 3-0 in the bottom of the first with the help of a two-run homer from infielder, Brady Hoover. In the second inning, Emporia State responded with a one-run homerun of their own. This time the Ichabods came right back and scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to give themselves a 6-0 lead after the second inning. The Ichabods would tack on one more run in the bottom of the third inning after Lane Harvey drilled a double in the gap to allow Steven Jacobson to score all the way from first to give the Ichabods a 7-1 lead. 

From then on out, it was a defensive battle as neither team had much offense all thanks to the performance from Gilliam who neutralized the Hornets’ bats all day long. The Hornets were still able to add on a run in the top of the sixth and eighth innings to give them a chance to tie the game, but it was too little too late as the Ichabods cruised into their 20th win on the season defeating the Hornets, 7-3.

After the win, Gilliam was happy with the performance against the Hornets, but did not expect the day to go any different. 

“It’s a good feeling, I am just trying to go out there and fill up the zone with strikes, and fortunately my defense had my back today on top of that. I was just trying to get ahead of hitters, that’s the key typically and it worked out today,” said Gilliam. 

For Hoover, Saturday’s game was a good way to end the weekend on high note after two losses earlier in the series.

“Well you never like losing at home, so those first two games kind of stung a bit. We knew we had to come into this game [Saturday’s game] and fight our tails off and we executed that today,” Hoover said.

The Ichabods will end their regular season at home in a three-game series against Northeastern State University from Friday May 3 to Sunday May 5.