With a series-opening win in the rear view, the Washburn University Softball team turned its attention towards completing a sweep over Lincoln University of Missouri. With the win, the Ichabods moved to 22-6 on the year and they would have the chance to make it two straight series sweeps with a win.

Just like the first game of the series Washburn got a scoreless first inning from its starting pitcher, this time from freshman Jaycee Ginter. Once again, the Ichabods got an early offense, and it was freshman third baseman Marrit Mead who started off the inning with a single.

It was a small ball from there on out as Mead stole second and third base, giving her a team-leading 19 on the year, before junior designated player Ashton Friend hit a sacrifice fly into right field to put Washburn on the board.

Through three innings Ginter was cruising, only allowing one hit with four strikeouts. As the Ichabod’s lineup flipped back to the top of the order it was the combination of Mead and Friend doing damage again. Mead connected on a 1-0 pitch, doubling into the right field before being moved to third and driven home on Friend’s ground ball single to the left side.

Washburn continued to take it one run at a time in the fourth inning as well. Freshman first baseman Kamryn Garvie singled into center field before advancing to second and then home on a double off the wall in left-center by sophomore right fielder Maddie Stipsits. The hit made it a 3-0 game heading into the fifth inning.

The Blue Tigers got one run back the next inning on a solo home run by Alex Miller that soared well over the left-field fence. Ginter allowed two more hits in the inning but was able to navigate around them to keep the damage to one run.

After a slow start to the sixth inning for Ginter, allowing two hits and a walk to load the bases with only one out, she exited and was relieved by junior pitcher Raegen Hamm. She struck out the first batter she faced, and got out of the inning without allowing any more baserunners, although a run scored on a passed ball, making it a 3-2 game.

“Raegen has been in every tough situation you can imagine,” said Washburn Head Coach Brenda Holaday. “I felt like it was the right thing to do to use her to win.”

The score did not stay that close for long as freshman first baseman Kimi Patterson launched a ball off the scoreboard in the right-center field for a home run, making the score 4-2. That is how the score would stay as the game moved to the top of the seventh inning.

Like she had been for the whole day leading up to that point Hamm continued to be dominant, walking one and finishing out the game to secure a 4-2 victory. The win moved the team to 4-2 over the busy three-day homestand and secured a series sweep.

“They were tough on us, we had a lot of tough at-bats,” said Holaday “It was a grind.”

The win moved the team to 4-2 over the busy three-day homestand and secured a series sweep.

“Our mindset is just each day is each day and we are going to push through no matter what,” said Ashton Friend on the team playing six games in three days.

After six straight at home, the Ichabods will be on the road Wednesday, April 21 for a doubleheader against Missouri Southern.

Editing by: Crystal Hendrix, Katrina Johnson