By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's baseball team took an 8-5 first-game win at Fort Hays State Saturday, clinching its third straight MIAA series win before the Tigers edged the Ichabods 5-4 in the second game to avoid a series sweep.
Washburn catcher Kros Bay catches a Fort Hays State foul popup Saturday in Hays. [Submitted]
The Ichabods, who opened the series with an 8-5 victory on Saturday, had a pair of four-run innings offensively while starting pitcher Brock Gilliam improved to 6-2 on the season, giving up one earned run on four hits while striking out six and issuing two walks.
Washburn jumped on top 4-0 in the first game with four runs in the top of the third inning.
Wyatt Featherston led off with a double and scored the game's first run on Eric Hinostroza's run-scoring single.
Xavier De Leon, who reached on a bunt single, scored on a throwing error to make it 2-0 WU and Zion Bowlin capped the inning with a two-run home run.
The Tigers cut their deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the third and the score stayed that way until Washburn scored four runs in the top of the seventh, capped by a three-run home run by former Shawnee Heights standout Cole Emerson, who hit his first career round-tripper for the Ichabods.
Bowlin pushed across Washburn's first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly that scored De Leon, who had singled.
Fort Hays State scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh and then added three more an inning later on home runs from Garrett Stephens and Jaxson Webb to end the scoring.
Washburn reliever Braden Minor ended the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
Hinostroza went 3 for 4 in the first game, knocking in a run and scoring twice, while Bowlin had three RBI and Featherston had two doubles and scored a run.
Fort Hays (9-22 overall, 9-18 in the MIAA) took a 1-0 lead in the second game on a first-inning home run, but Bowlin tied the game in the fourth with a solo homer.
The Ichabods (14-19, 13-14 MIAA) took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when De Leon singled home Kros Bay, who was hit by a pitch and advanced on a Tiger balk.
Fort Hays State reclaimed the lead with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Tigers tacked on two more runs in the eighth to extend their lead to 5-2.
Washburn rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth, getting a run-scoring triple from Bay and a run-scoring single from Featherston, but the Tigers got out of the inning after the Ichbods put the potential tying and go-ahead runs at second and third.
Bowlin was 3 of 4 at the dish and hit his fifth home run of the season. De Leon also had three hits and drove in a run, while Bay finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
Washburn will return home for its final home series of the season Friday and Saturday, facing Newman.
FIRST GAME
WASHBURN 8, FORT HAYS STATE 5
Washburn 004 000 400 -- 8 11 3
Fort Hays State 001 000 130 -- 5 7 1
Gilliam, Philbin (7), Zamora (8), Minor (9) and Bay. Walsh, Steinbring (7), Meyer (9) and Stephens. W -- Gilliam (6-2). L -- Walsh (2-1). Save -- Minor. 2B -- Washburn: Featherston 2. HR -- Washburn: Bowlin, Emerson. Fort Hays State: Stephens, Webb.
SECOND GAME
FORT HAYS STATE 5, WASHBURN 4
Washburn (14-19, 13-14) 000 110 002 -- 4 9 0
Fort Hays State (9-22, 9-18) 100 000 22x -- 5 9 1
McElwee, Philbin (7), Huggins (8), Marrell (8) and Bay. Parker, Ensz (8) and Stephens. W -- Parker (3-2). L -- McElwee (1-4). Save -- Ensz. 2B -- Washburn: De Leon. Fort Hays State: Bouzide, Schmidt. 3B -- Washburn: Bay. HR -- Washburn: Bowlin. Fort Hays State: Angeron.
