Despite taking an early lead, Washburn was unable to hold off Missouri Western, falling 6-4 in the second set on Saturday, April 18, at Gahnstrom Field.
Missouri Western set the tone early, scoring 3 runs in the first two innings. Washburn responded in the third inning, using timely hitting to shift momentum and keep the game within reach in what became a tightly contested matchup.
For Washburn, sophomore infield Dalaney Anderson led the offense, going 3-for-4 with 3RBIs, providing the bulk of the team’s scoring. Junior infield Aspen Burgardt added another strong performance at the plate, finishing 2-for-3, while the Ichabods totaled 7 hits overall.
Washburn also showed consistency on defense, particularly in the middle innings, where they recorded quick outs and prevented Missouri Western from extending its lead. That defensive effort has been a focus all season.
“We put a big emphasis on defense every day in practice and right now we’re leading the conference in defensive percentage,” said head coach Brenda Holaday. “We do everything we can to help our pitchers out and make the plays that we can make.”
However, Missouri Western capitalized late, adding a key run in the final inning to secure the 6-4 win. The Griffons finished with 9hits and took advantage of key scoring opportunities.
In the circle, senior pitcher Jenna Sprague pitched all seven innings for Washburn, recording five strikeouts while facing 33 batters. Despite the loss, Holaday emphasized the team’s effort against a strong opponent.
“I thought we fought hard,” Holaday said. “We didn’t play our best two games, but I like the fight in our kids. Missouri Western’s a really good team, so to split with them, …you’d love to win both, but I’m glad we got one.”
Washburn’s offensive approach was also highlighted by players, who pointed to the need to take advantage of scoring opportunities.
“I was just trying to make an adjustment for my first at-bat to help my team,” Anderson said. “We had girls in scoring position with two outs, so I was just trying to put the ball in play and get something to happen.”
Despite the result, the team remained confident in its overall performance and support system.
“Our team is amazing, we have amazing defense and amazing offense,” Anderson said. “We just appreciate everybody coming out to watch us and support us.”
Holaday noted that while there were areas to improve, the team continues to focus on execution moving forward.
“We didn’t pitch as well as we have at other times, and we let some at-bats get away from us,” Holaday said. “But overall, you want your team to fight and battle and I thought they did that.”
Washburn will look to build on that effort as they prepare for their next matchup.
“Tomorrow will be another tough team,” Holaday said. “We’ll have to show up ready to go.
Washburn will look to build on that effort as they prepare for their next matchup against Northwest Missouri State on April 19. With another strong opponent ahead, the Ichabods will aim to improve their execution at the plate and maintain their defensive consistency as they continue conference play.
Edited by: Ojashwi Shrestha and Anushma Dahal
