After a series win away from home the week before, Washburn baseball returned to Falley Field for a three game matchup with Missouri Western State beginning Friday, March 25.

The Ichabods got off on the right foot towards winning a second consecutive series by running away from the Griffons, 9-3.

Win number three in a row for Washburn moved them to 20-7 on the season and 8-1 at Falley Field.

“In the past we haven’t done as well at home as we have needed to and I think it sets up well for us,” said head coach Harley Douglas. “It’s going to be home for the next three weeks and so we started off right tonight.”

Senior Rane Pfeifer started on the mound and struggled with his command early, giving up two walks and a hit in the first three batters to load the bases.

Two batters later, a double into right-center field cleared the bases and put the Griffons up 3-0 early.

“I thought we came out flat because we haven’t been outside all week, we have been inside, the weather has been bad and so you are rusty a little bit,” Douglas said.

The Ichabods were quiet at the plate until the third inning, which began with a leadoff double from junior first baseman Cale Savage. He was brought home with a two-out single into center field from senior designated hitter Parker Dunn, making the score 3-1.

Pfeifer recovered after the first inning to make it through four innings, allowing just the three runs and striking out three.

Senior Trevor Marreel took over on the hill in the fifth inning and threw a scoreless frame to complete his day.

The bottom of the inning began innocently, with a walk by freshman left fielder Trevor McCollum. Three pitches later Savage deposited a home run well over the fence in left field to tie the game.

“I was just trying to be aggressive and see something that I could hit early in the count and just make good, hard contact and it worked out well,” Savage said.

It did not stay knotted long as senior second baseman Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli doubled into left-center field and was brought home on two consecutive throwing errors by Missouri Western State, giving Washburn a lead.

Two batters later, Dunn gave the Ichabods some insurance with the second home run of the inning, this time into right field. Washburn would load the bases but not plate any more runs, making it a 5-3 game into the sixth inning.

“I think we know we have the power, and we have some guys that balls are going to blow out, but the wind is blowing out today so that kind of changes things a little,” Douglas said.

Junior Charlie Kiefer took over on the mound in the sixth and picked up where the rest of the staff left off with a scoreless inning.

Kiefer continued to cruise through the eighth inning, allowing only two hits over the three innings. In the bottom of the eighth, the Ichabods loaded the bases for Dunn, who was patient and took a walk and RBI.

Senior third baseman Brett Ingram was up next and he drilled a line drive into right field, scoring two more runs. Senior right fielder Zion Bowlin followed with an identical hit, scoring another to make it a 9-3 ballgame.

That was the score in the top of the ninth when senior Zach Philbin took over on the mound and faced only three batters to finish off the game with a win for the Ichabods.

“I thought we were slow with the bats, but he [Griffons pitcher] did a good job of keeping us off balance for a little bit and then we kind of got settled in and got going,” Douglas said.

Marreel picked up the win, moving him to 1-0 on the year. Savage had three hits and two RBIs in the game while Dunn had two hits and three RBIs to lead the offensive charge.

“Our bullpen I feel is one of the best in the MIAA, I feel like we can always trust in them,” Savage said. “Hitting wise, I feel like 1-9 we are all experienced hitters and have all been there.”

The win moved Washburn to 11-3 in MIAA play heading into the final two games of the series.

Edited by: Glorianna Noland, Alyssa Storm