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Washburn freshman Jaycee Ginter notched a complete-game pitching win and had a two-run double in the Ichabods' 4-2 win over Emporia State Sunday. [File photo/TSN]

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

In the throes of a five-game losing streak, including a 6-3 first-game loss to Emporia State Sunday at Gahnstrom Field, Washburn University's softball team was in dire need of a positive turn of events.

The Ichabods got that in Game 2 on Senior Day, with freshman Jaycee Ginter starring in the pitcher's circle and at the bat as Washburn held on for a 4-2 win over the rival Hornets, improving to 24-11 overall and 10-8 in the MIAA.

"It was huge,'' Washburn coach Brenda Holaday said of the second-game win. "The kids were feeling the pressure for sure. You're trying to make the conference tournament and we were out of function for about two weeks and we've had to hit the road running and the kids are injured and sore.

"We've left tons of runners on base and just about everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for us in the last couple of weeks, so wins start to solve a lot of problems.''

Ginter, a Shawnee Heights product, hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth to stake Washburn to a 4-1 lead and survived a Hornet rally in the top of the seventh to finish off her complete-game pitching performance, improving to 12-4 while allowing nine hits and one earned run, striking out three and walking one.

"I thought Jaycee Ginter put us on her back to be honest with you,'' Holaday said. "She's one of our kids that's really hurting and she just gutted right through it.''

Emporia State (19-19, 9-11) scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but Washburn took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third.

Freshman Marrit Mead, a Santa Fe Trail graduate, singled and moved to second on on an error before scoring on Ashton Friend's third double of the day. Friend then scored on an ESU fielding error on a ball hit by Ginter.

Mead, who walked, and Kerschen, who singled, both scored on Ginter's double to end the Ichabods' scoring.

Emporia State threatened in its final at bat, with freshman Alexis Dial hitting a long home run to left field off her former Heights teammate to start the inning.

The Hornets loaded the bases with two singles and a walk but Ginter coaxed a fielder's choice grounder to end the game.

Mead, now hitting .500 on the season, went 2 for 2 in the second game.

Emporia State jumped on top 1-0 in the top of the third inning in the opener on a run-scoring double from Topeka High product Roni Raines.

Washburn knotted the score in the fifth on Friend's double, but the Hornets scored the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch.

Emporia State then broke the game open with four runs in the top of the seventh and survived a two-run Washburn uprising in the bottom of the seventh to take the 6-3 victory.

Friend's second double of the game scored Autymn Schreiner, who reached on a pinch-hit single, and Hadley Kerschen, who doubled.

Friend drove in all three Washburn runs and Kerschen and Friend both had two hits.

Kelsey Phillips (10-5) went the distance for the ESU pitching win while Raegen Hamm (12-7) took the loss.

Raines went 2 for 3 in the first game and had three hits on the day to raise her batting average to .351.

Dial went 2 for 3 in the second game, including her first career home run.

Washburn will be back in action on Tuesday at Missouri Western before hosting Central Missouri on Wednesday (3 p.m. start).

FIRST GAME

EMPORIA STATE 6, WASHBURN 3

Emporia State  101 001 4 -- 6 9 1

Washburn 000 010 2 -- 3 9 0

Phillips and Beem. Hamm and Francis. WP -- Phillips (10-5). LP -- Hamm (12-7). 2B -- Emporia State: Raines, Shepherd, Ojigoh. Washburn: Friend 2, Mead, Kerschen.

SECOND GAME

WASHBURN 4, EMPORIA STATE 2

Emporia State (19-19, 9-11) 100 000 1 -- 2 9 3

Washburn (24-11, 10-8) 020 x -- 4 5 3

Righi, Dixon (5) and Beem. Ginter and Francis. WP -- Ginter (12-4). LP -- Righi (2-4). 2B -- Washburn: Friend, Ginter. 3B -- HR -- Emporia State: Dial.