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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

London Backman, Topeka High

LONDON BACKMAN, Topeka High

A sophomore infielder who attends Cair Paravel Latin and plays for the Trojans through a co-op agreement, Backman received TopSports.news All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League first-team recognition and was named the co-county and co-Centennial League newcomer of the year last season after helping 19-10 Topeka High advance to the Class 6A state tournament before dropping an 8-1 quarterfinal decisiont to 6A champ Olathe West. Backman received All-Class 6A honorable mention by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.

Adda Boleski, Washburn Rural

ADDA BOLESKI, Washburn Rural

Boleski, a sophomore infielder, was an All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League second-team pick a year ago as a freshman after helping the Junior Blues post a 22-8 record and a second-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament, with Washburn Rural dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the championship game.

Reagan Chapman, Washburn Rural

REAGAN CHAPMAN, Washburn Rural

A senior pitcher/third baseman, Chapman was named to the TSN All-Shawnee County first team for the third straight season after helping lead the Junior Blues to a 22-8 record and a runnerup finish in Class 6A last spring, with Rural dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the championship game. Chapman was a first-team All-Centennial League honoree.

JOSIE CARLGREN, Washburn Rural

Carlgren, a senior outfielder, is a top returner for Washburn Rural, which posted a 22-8 record and finished second in the Class 6A state tournament last season, dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the title game. Carlgren received All-Shawnee County and All-Centennial League honorable mention in 2025.

Falyn Clurman, Rossville

FALYN CLURMAN, Rossville

Clurman, a sophomore pitcher, was a second-team All-Shawnee County honoree last season as a freshman for the Bulldawgs, who posted a 17-12 record in 2025. The Bulldawgs were a Class 2A-1A regional runnerup to state champion Oskaloosa.

ADDISON COOPER, Shawnee Heights

Cooper, a senior outfielder, was a first-team All-United Kansas Conference selection and a second-team All-Shawnee County pick last spring after helping Shawnee Heights post a 20-7 record and advance to the Class 5A state tournament in 2025. The T-Birds dropped a 3-2 state quarterfinal decision to eventual state champion St. Thomas Aquinas.

Campbell Dawson, Topeka High

CAMPBELL DAWSON, Topeka High

A junior pitcher/outfielder, was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and second-team All-Shawnee County pick last spring after helping the 19-10 Trojans advance to the Class 6A state tournament before dropping an 8-1 quarterfinal decision to 6A state champ Olathe West. Dawson received All-Class 6A honorable mention by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.

LYDIA DREHER, Seaman

Dreher, a sophomore pitcher, was a second-team All-Shawnee County selection and a second-team All-United Kansas Conference pick as a freshman last season after helping the Vikings earn a berth in the Class 5A state tournament. Dreher helped Seaman post a 20-9 record last spring, with the Vikings dropping a 3-2 17-inning decision to Maize South in the state quarterfinals.

Cianna Graves, Shawnee Heights

CIANNA GRAVES, Shawnee Heights

A senior catcher, Graves received second-team All-Shawnee County recognition in 2025 after helping Shawnee Heights post a 20-7 record and advance to the Class 5A state tournament before the T-Birds dropped a 3-2 state quarterfinal decision to eventual 5A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas. Graves is also a 2026 5A state wrestling champion.

Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake

KAILYN HANNI, Silver Lake

Hanni, a senior left-fielder, earned first-team All-Shawnee County and first-team All-Big East League recognition last spring for the second straight season after helping Silver Lake post a 25-7 record and a runnerup finish in the Class 3A state tournament for the second straight season, with the Eagle falling 2-1 to Frontenac in nine innings. Hanni was named to the All-Class 3A first team by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association. Hanni also led Silver Lake to the 3A state basketball title this past season.

Oliva Koch, Washburn Rural

OLIVIA KOCH, Washburn Rural

A junior pitcher/outfielder, Koch was named to the TSN All-Shawnee County first team and was named the Centennial League player of the year last season after helping lead Washburn Rural to a 22-8 record and a runnerup finish in the Class 6A state tournament, with the Junior Blues dropping an 8-7 decision to Olathe West in the state title game. Koch was named to the All-Class 6A first team by the Kansas Softball Coaches Association.

Carly McAllister, Hayden

CARLEY McALLISTER, Hayden

McCallister, a sophomore, received second-team TSN All-Shawnee County recognition a year ago as a freshman while also receiving All-Centennial League second-team honors.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

One of the most frustrating stretches of Brenda Holaday's long and successful coaching career continued Saturday at Gahnstrom Field, with Washburn University softball dropping a 6-0, 11-3 MIAA doubleheader to No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State.

Washburn sophomore Makenzie Sais went 3 for 3 in the second game Saturday against No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Saturday's losses extended the Ichabods' losing streak to seven games, with all seven defeats coming against nationally-ranked teams.

But Holaday saw some signs Saturday that Washburn, 24-15 overall and 1-9 in the conference, could be ready to start turning things back around.

"That's what we just talked about,'' Holaday said. "We've been in this kind of rut for about three weeks now and just really having a hard time scoring the runs we need to when we get opportunities and making little mistakes. We were very competitive the first game (Friday, a 4-3 nine-inning loss to No. 11 Missouri Southern) and then when it got away from us we didn't bounce back well at all (in a 9-0 second-game loss).

"But I thought today, given how good Pitt State is, we were much more like ourselves. We were just a little over-matched and some things had to go our way at times that didn't, but we struck the ball batter and the kids had some good at-bats and that's where it starts for us and it's something to build on.''

The Ichabods managed five hits in the opener but were unable to push a run across in the 6-0 loss to the Gorillas, who ended the weekend 34-1 overall and 8-0 in the MIAA.

Washburn threatened early and late but could not find a breakthrough.

Junior Aspen Burgardt throws out a runner Saturday for WU against No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Makenzie Sais led off the first inning with a bunt single, while former Seaman standout Aspen Burgardt ripped a double to right-center in the second.

The Ichabods put runners in scoring position again in the fifth inning when Erin Boles and Maddie McGee posted consecutive singles, but Pittsburg State worked out of the jam each time.

Washburn senior pitcher Sadie Walker went the distance in Saturday's 6-0 first-game loss against No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Sadie Walker went the distance in the circle for Washburn, giving up 12 hits and six runs (five earned) while striking out six in seven innings of work.

Walker retired nine of 10 hitters from the fourth through sixth frames.

Pittsburg State opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single before putting the game out of reach with four runs in the third.

The Gorillas took advantage of a leadoff single, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch before delivering three straight run-scoring hits.

McGee, Burgardt, Boles, Shawnee Heights product Taylor Brees and Sais each recorded a hit for the Ichabods.

Washburn totaled eight hits and plated three runs in the second game but fell 11–3 to the Gorillas.

The Ichabods showed early fight at the plate and erased a shutout with a run in the third inning and two more in the fifth.

However, Pittsburg State used a series of big innings to pull away and remain unbeaten in conference play.

Sais went 3 for 3 with a run scored and a walk while Danielle Schlader added two hits and drove in a pair of Washburn runs on a two-run single in the fifth. Brees also crossed the plate in the inning.

Washburn broke through in the third when Burgardt reached on an error, allowing Sais to score and cut the Ichabod deficit to 3-1.

The Ichabods mounted their biggest rally in the fifth with two unearned runs, pulling within 8–3.

Jenna Sprague made the pitching start for Washburn and worked 4.2 innings before former Silver Lake standout Kendra Cook finished the game in relief.

Washburn will now hit the road, continuing MIAA play at Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney next Friday and Saturday.

The Ichabods are now entering a stretch of games that will provide the team with an opportunity to get back on track, but Holaday knows WU will have to be at its best to make that happen.

"We probably couldn't have played a tougher opening to the MIAA than we have with five different ranked teams in five outings, but at the same time, some of these other teams have been able to build some confidence with some wins and they're tough, too,'' Holaday said.

"They're all good teams, so that's why it's important we build. We don't have a lot of room for error at this point so we've got to get ourselves back to playing the kind of ball we were playing a few weeks ago in order to give ourselves a chance to get back in the fight.''

RiverHawk baseball evens series with 9-8 comeback win

Washburn baseball battled back from an early deficit to take an 8-6 lead on Saturday at Steve Anson Stadium, but the Ichabods (11-19 overall, 8-10 MIAA) could not hold on late as Northeastern State scored two in the ninth to win 9-8 and even the series.

The series rubber match will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.