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Created: 25 April 2022

By KYLE MANTHE

The Washburn Review

Even after scoring only six combined runs Washburn softball’s undefeated home record still stands, now at 24-0, after a doubleheader sweep over Northeastern State University on Sunday with scores of 3-0 and 3-2.

“Pitching and defense is so important for games like that and I thought we were really good in those two areas today,” said Washburn coach Brenda Holaday said. “It’s just about kids battling at the plate and I think we battled … we did enough to win.”

Sophomore Jaycee Ginter picked up the pitching wins in both games, including a one-hitter in Game 1, as Washburn stretched its winning streak to 18 games on Sunday. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Wahburn Review]

Washburn softball honored seniors Maddie Stipsits (left), Ashton Friend (middle) and Raegen Hamm (right) on Senior Day Sunday at Gahnstrom Field. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

The 38-11 Ichabods extended their winning streak to 18 games, a new high mark in Holaday’s six years, surpassing a 17-game run earlier in the season.

Between games, the team recognized its group of three seniors, Raegan Hamm, Maddie Stipsits and Ashton Friend.

“They go about it in a quiet way … their work ethic is great. They just have a way of just creating such a positive and good culture with our kids, and the others follow,” Holaday said. “To be honest, I don’t know that I would single any one of them out as a great leader but collectively, man have they done a good job.”

Hamm will finish as Washburn’s all-time strikeout leader while the two position players have combined to make 78 starts this season.

In a season of spectacular performances, sophomore Shawnee Heights product Jaycee Ginter was as sharp as ever, throwing a complete-game shutout and allowing only one hit and one walk in Game 1.  

“The great part about her is she comes out and sets the tone for the day, so it’s not just about her quality pitching and attacking really good lineups,” Holaday said. “She instills confidence in all of us … it was huge.”

Season-long success from Ginter and Sante Fe Trail product Marrit Mead, who scored the walk-off run in game two, have propelled Washburn to No. 7 in the latest NCAA Central Regional rankings and a tie at the top of the MIAA standings.

Washburn will get a chance to improve its regional and national standings in its two final home games against No. 8 Rogers State on Monday. 

“(Monday) is a big day for us, battling for first in the conference obviously, so we are going to have to come prepared as they are going to be,” Ginter said. 

“We know we have to do a lot of what we did today,” Holaday said. “We are going to see great pitching on their end. It’s going to be up to us to step up.”

Ginter started her day in the circle with two hitless innings, setting up the offense.

In the second, Jaden LaBarge doubled and was brought home on a single from Kimi Patterson to put the Ichabods on the board.

Through four innings Ginter was still working a no-hitter to go along with five strikeouts. Patterson put another run on the board in the fourth inning, scoring Friend with a ground-rule double.

Hadley Kerschen grounded to second base to score LaBarge, putting Washburn up, 3-0.

That was all the scoring in the game as the Ichabods managed only two more hits the rest of the way. On the other end, Ginter kept Northeastern State hitless until there was one out in the seventh inning.

She finished the game striking out eight batters and allowing just one hit and one walk over seven innings of work to earn win number 24.

“I didn’t feel any pressure,” Ginter said. “I felt pretty confident going into the game and I knew that we needed it.”

Hamm took over in the circle for Game 2 and threw a scoreless first two innings while allowing just one hit.

At the plate, Patterson led off the bottom of the second with a single and was moved to third on an error. Kaylee Wagner grounded out to second base, scoring Patterson.

Kerschen, who reached via error, was able to score on a wild pitch, putting Washburn up 2-0 after two innings of play.

The RiverHawks loaded the bases in the third but could not score, but would in the fourth after back-to-back doubles led off the inning.

Hamm exited after four innings pitched, allowing just the one run and striking out four, leaving the score still at 2-1.

Ginter took over pitching responsibilities next, throwing scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth. She surrendered a single and double in the top of the seventh before a sacrifice fly tied the game at two.

In extra innings, Ginter retired the Northeastern State in order. Mead led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Ellington Hogle pinch-hit for an infield single and a walk from Ginter loaded the bases.

“My thinking was, if Marrit got on we would bring Ellie in to bunt because she is the best bunter we have on the team,” Holaday said. “For a freshman who doesn’t get to be on the field a lot to stay ready and come in for a big pressure moment and do that was huge for her.”

Friend struck out swinging but the wild pitch went to the backstop, allowing Mead to score and walk off with a 3-2 win.

Washburn’s MIAA record sits at 20-2 after the sweep. The doubleheader with the Hillcats begins at 3 p.m. Monday.

First game

WASHBURN 3, NORTHEASTERN STATE 0

Northeastern  State (23-21) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  – 0 1 0

Washburn (37-11)                 0 1 0 2 0 0 X – 3 7 0

WP – Ginter (24-3). LP – Young (9-9). 2B – Washburn: LaBarge, Patterson.

Second game

WASHBURN 3, NORTHEASTERN STATE 2

Washburn (38-11) 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 – 3 6 0

Northeastern State (23-22) 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0  – 2 8 3

WP – Ginter (25-3). LP – Evans (8-10). 2B – Northeastern State: Bradshaw, Wolfe, Rosenquist.

Details

Created: 23 April 2022

By KYLE MANTHE

The Washburn Review

The newly No. 50 ranked Washburn women’s tennis team (13-9) returned home from a six-match road trip and delivered a Senior Day sweep over Northeastern State University (5-13) in the penultimate match of the regular season on Saturday.

The Ichabods started the season 4-8 and have won nine of the last 10 as they moved up to No. 4 in the latest Central Region rankings.

“This is definitely the time of year that you want to be playing your best tennis,” said Washburn coach Kirby Ronning. “This is really the level that we saw our girls being able to play, but growth kind of has its ups and downs throughout a season and we aren’t where we are without some of those losses mid-season.”

Washburn doubles partners Kinsey Fields (left) and Maja Jung celebrate a point in Saturday's match against Northeastern State. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

Washburn senior Svea Crohn Saturday during the Ichabods' 7-0 sweep over Northeastern State. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]

Prior to Washburn’s fifth win in a row, the team recognized its two seniors, Svea Crohn and Kinsey Fields, who were part of more than 100 doubles wins over the last four seasons.

“The thing I am going to miss most is playing with Maja (Jung) in doubles,'' Fields said. "She just made my Washburn experience so amazing. All of the girls are really amazing.''  

“Kinsey and Svea have been such a huge part of the success of the team for the last four years so it’s great to just have a moment to acknowledge everything that they have done,” Ronning said. “They both played great in their matches today … I was super proud of that and that they can celebrate their Senior Day the right way.”

Ronning is only in his second season as head coach and gives credit for the smooth transition to the players he inherited.

“It made my job a lot easier to start with some great kids,” Ronning said. “They are both kids that if I had the opportunity to recruit that I would bring them both here in a heartbeat.”

The Ichabods moved to 7-0 in conference play with the win and will have a chance to earn a regular season championship with a win against No. 4 Central Oklahoma Sunday  

“Our girls have got a lot of momentum, they can go and compete out there with anybody, it’s just about going out there and having that belief that they can win,” Ronning said.

“Today we started out really good and we just need to start out good like that tomorrow. It’s just another match and we need to think like that,” Fields said. 

Crohn and Marta Torres were flawless at No. 3 doubles, winning 6-0. Behind them, the No. 26 pairing of Isabella Martensson and Lara Schmid won 6-3 at the No. 1 spot to claim the doubles point for Washburn.

Jung kicked off singles play with a two-set win at No. 3. Schmid followed from the No. 4 spot, also winning in two sets. After dropping the first set Torres won her final two sets from the No. 1 position to get the fourth point of the day.

From the No. 5 spot, Martensson lost only three set points on her way to a two-set victory. At No. 2 Crohn battled back from losing the first set, and a 4-1 deficit in the third set to win 6-4.

Fields wrapped up play with consecutive 6-2 set wins to complete the sweep.

WASHBURN 7, NORTHEASTERN STATE 0

Individual Results

Doubles

No. 1 – Martensson/Schmid, Washburn def. Carvalho/Moldakhmetova, Northeastern State 6-3

No. 2 – Fields/Jung, Washburn vs Carnelutti/Jayaprakash Northeastern State 5-3 (INC)

No. 3 – Crohn/Torres, Washburn def. Romero/Vera Northeastern State 6-0

Singles

No. 1 – Torres, Washburn def. Moldakhmetova, Northeastern State 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

No. 2 – Crohn, Washburn def. Carvalho, Northeastern State 1-6, 6-1, 6-4

No. 3 – Jung, Washburn def. Carnelutti, Northeastern State 6-2, 6-1

No. 4 – Schmid, Washburn def. Jayaprakash, Northeastern State 6-2, 6-4

No. 5 – Martensson, Washburn def. Vera, Northeastern State 6-3, 6-0

No. 6 – Fields, Washburn def. Vidnere, Northeastern State 6-2, 6-2

 

Details

Created: 25 April 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Kendra Cook

KENDRA COOK, Silver Lake

Cook a freshman pitcher, threw a seven-inning no-hitter in a 7-0 second-game Mid-East League victory at St. Marys last Thursday, helping the Eagles complete a doubleheader sweep. Cook allowed one walk and struck out five against the Bears.

Giles Frederickson

GILES FREDERICKSON, Washburn Rural

Frederickson, a senior, carded a 4-under-par 68 in last Thursday's Seaman Invitational golf tournament at Village Greens, tying former two-time Class 6A state champion Parker Beal for Washburn Rural's school-record low round. Frederickson took individual medalist honors by five strokes and led the Junior Blues to the team championship by a 14-stroke margin over Manhattan.

Briar Gillum

BRIAR GILLUM, Rossville

A senior, Gillum set the Rossville school record in the discus with a throw of 133 feet in Friday's Rossville Invitational.  The Rossville school record was previously set at 129-4 by Bridget Weybrew back in 1987. Gillum is the Shawnee County leader in both the discus and shot put, with a best of 39-10.50 in the shot. 

Daigan Kruger 

DAIGAN KRUGER, Silver Lake

Silver Lake senior pitcher Daigan Kruger threw his first career no-hitter last Monday in a 6-0 Mid-East League first-game win over Riley County. Kruger went seven innings with five strikeouts while issuing two walks in the win and also went 2 for 4 at the plate with a run scored. The Eagles added an 8-5 victory in the second game to complete the sweep.

Mason McConnaughey

MASON McCONNAUGHEY, Seaman

A senior pitcher, McConnaughey threw a complete-game no-hitter in Seaman's 3-0 Centennial League road victory over Junction City. McConnaughey recorded 15 strikeouts against the Blue Jays and did not allow a walk.

Tanner Newkirk

TANNER NEWKIRK, Hayden

A senior, Newkirk clocked the 15th fastest boys 3,200 meters time in Kansas high school history in the Barrier Breakers meet in Lawrence last Friday, winning the event in a time of 9 minutes 09.76 seconds. Newkirk improved his own school record in the 3,200 and also finished second in the 1,600 meters in 4:18.59. Newkirk also holds the school record in that event.

 

 

Details

Created: 23 April 2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

NOTE: Top.Sports.news plans to compile a weekly track and field honor roll for Shawnee County high schools throughout the 2022 season. Coaches are asked to email updated times and marks or any corrections to Rick Peterson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Coaches should designate whether times were fully automatic (FAT) or hand-timed. FAT times for individual sprints are considered .024 of a second faster than hand times. TopSports.news will rank the Top 5 in each event.

BOYS

100 METERS

Smith, Shawnee Heights              10.27

Reed, Highland Park                    10.5

Richardson, Highland Park           10.5

Lee, Topeka High                          10.80

Peoples, Topeka High                   10.6

Highland Park junior Tre Richardson is the Shawnee County leader in the 200 and 400-meter dashes. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

200 METERS

Richardson, Highland Park           21.6

Smith, Shawnee Heights               21.8

January, Shawnee Heights            22.4

Renfro, Silver Lake                       22.67

Schrickel, Hayden                         22.72

400 METERS

Richardson, Highland Park           50.54

Blankenship, Topeka High            52.3

Wilkerson, Topeka West               53.08

Newkirk, Hayden                          53.31

Gardiner, Topeka West                53.56

January, Shawnee Heights           53.4

800 METERS

Newkirk, Hayden                          1:57.99

B. Moore, Seaman                       2:04.65

Esquibel, Shawnee Heights         2:07.0

Haddock, Washburn Rural           2:07.9

Stuke, Seaman                            2:08.33

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