The Ichabod baseball team finished strong over the weekend, defeating the Pittsburg State University Gorillas twice in three games, improving its overall record to 12-10, 7-5 in conference play.

Beginning Saturday instead of Friday due to weather conditions, Washburn had an extra day to prepare, taking the first game in seven innings 13-1. On Sunday they fell 5-4 while finishing off with a victory on Monday, 14-11 – the team’s eighth game with 10 or more runs.

Saturday featured a dominant outing by the Bods, taking out Pittsburg State early, forcing a seven-inning run rule.

Washburn got off to a great start with four early runs in the first inning. Lance Barkley would get the first RBI, knocking in Parker Gibson, while Wes Jones added two of his own making the score 3-0.

David Gauntt would steal home to push the Ichabod lead to 4-0.They would score one more run in the top of the second off of Payton Soicher’s third homer of the year before scoring seven runs on only two hits in the fifth, forcing the Gorillas to use three different pitchers.

Riley Krane got his sole RBI of the game with a single, scoring Kasey Clark from second. The second passed ball of the game by a PSU pitcher sent Krane to second and Barkley to third. With the bases loaded for WU, Tanner Triggs drew the walk, scoring Barkley to put Washburn up 7-0.

The third wild pitch and second error of the inning by Pittsburg State would push two more Ichabod runs across. Zane Mapes would earn only the second hit, earning an RBI double. Another error by the Gorillas scored two more Washburn runs, ending the inning with the lead 12-0. Nick Silva Would throw four good innings before Greg Mason, Evan Payne and Garret Bryant would all pitch to complete the Wahburn win 13-1.

With the Ichabods dropping their second contest on Sunday 5-4. A few costly errors would come to haunt WU, allowing for a Gorillas lead. Washburn took the lead itself 4-3, using a big four-run fourth inning. Three straight walks would make bases loaded before a wild pitch would help start the Ichabod run. Wild pitches by the Pitt State team seemed to be a great factor in the series. Lance Barkley would add two more runs on his single. However Pitt State would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth winning 5-4. Pitcher Mike Hefferan would take the loss.

On the final day of the MIAA series, Washburn had season game-highs in six statistical categories such as total doubles in a game, RBI in a game, and total home runs, but would also allow a scary momentum change by the Gorillas as they finished the game with nine total runs.

Riley Krane would get the second of 18 hits by the Bods with an RBI single to score Parker Gibson for a first inning lead 1-0.

Pitt State would take the lead 2-1 in the third inning before Payton Soichers 2-run blast, and third in the last five games, would contribute to take the lead back 5-2. The 7-run, six-hit inning allowed for a comfortable 8-2 lead for Washburn. David Gauntt would also have his second multi-home run game of the season, hitting for two as he would help Washburn increase their lead in the sixth inning 10-6.

Four more runs in the seventh pushed the Bods lead to 14-6 heading into the ninth. Two errors by WU and five runs by PSU would add a crazy turn to the ball game. The Ichabods would ultimately escape with the win 14-11.

Washburn returned home for a busy week competing in four games, dropping Tuesday’s game against Fort Hays State 8-1. The homestand continues at 5 p.m. Thursday for a three-game series against Missouri Southern State University.