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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brenda Holaday is always looking for improvement, but after a slow start to the 2022 season the veteran Washburn University softball coach certainly can't complain with where her Ichabods are sitting with just 14 games left in the regular season.
The Ichabods wrapped up a 4-0 weekend Saturday with a 9-1, 8-4 MIAA sweep over Northwest Missouri State, improving to 28-11 on the year (10-2 in the MIAA) and a perfect 18-0 at Gahnstrom Field while extending their win streak to eight games.
"You think about it, you started out 2-6, so we're happy with where we are,'' Holiday said. "We just know how tough this conference is, and we know we'll have our hands full on the road next weekend, so it's just about continuing to get a little better every week.''
Washburn senior pitcher Raegen Hamm picked up the second-game win in Saturday's 9-1, 8-4 sweep over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn scored four runs in the second inning, a run in the fifth and four in the sixth of the first game, cruising to the eight-run, run-rule victory.
In the second inning Ashton Friend and Kimi Patterson were hit by pitches in back-to-back trips to the plate, two of the eight times the Ichabods were plunked on the afternoon.
Washburn shortstop Autymn Schreiner waits for the throw to second Saturday as a Northwest Missouri player attempts to steal. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Autymn Schreiner singled to load the bases and then Maddie Stipsits was hit to score Patterson.
Marrit Mead then cleared the bases with a triple as the Ichabods went up, 4-0.
The Bearcats scored a run in the top of the third, but the Ichabods answered with a run in the fifth when Mead singled and then scored on a single up the middle by Jaycee Ginter.
The Ichabods finished off the game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth as Rylee Seymour delivered a pinch-hit single followed by singles by Schreiner and Jaden LaBarge.
After Ellington Hogle reached on a fielder's choice, Mead singled to score Schreiner and Paige Robbins ended the game with a single up the middle.
Mead, a Sante Fe Trail product, tied a career-high with four runs batted in, going 3 for 4 with a run scored. Schreiner had two hits and scored twice and Robbins drove in two.
Former Shawnee Heights star Ginter moved to 19-3 in the pitching circle, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out eight batters.
The Ichabods jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game in the bottom of the first inning as Mead was hit by a pitch and then stole second.
After Robbins singled and stole second, Ginter doubled to left center field to score both Mead and Robbins.
Hadley Kerschen was hit by a picth and a single by LaBarge set up Patterson's single to center that scored Kerschen. The Ichabods sent nine to the plate in the inning.
After the Bearcats (6-29, 0-10) scored a pair of runs in the top of the second, Washburn came back with two runs on back-to-back doubles by Mead, Robbins and Ginter, putting the Ichabods up, 6-2.
Washburn scored two more runs in the third, taking advantage of a Bearcat error as Robbins' double to center scored Patterson and then Mead, who was hit, came around to score on a sac fly by Friend.
The Bearcats scored a solo run in the sixth on a solo home run by Lauren Gray.
Raegen Hamm pictched 41/3 innings and struck out six for WU, improving to 8-6 on the season while allowing an earned run and scattering three hits. Ginter came on to pitch the seventh inning.
Robbins finished with three hits for the Ichabods while Ginter drove in three runs and Robbins had two RBI.
Mead was 5 of 6 on the day with four runs scored and four RBI. Ginter also drove in four runs as did Robbins.
"We do a lot of things well,'' Holaday said. "We just have a new things we need to clean up for sure.''
The Ichabods will be in action next weekend with a road games at Fort Hays State on Friday and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
First game
WASHBURN 9, NORTHWEST MISSOURI 1
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
After taking a narrow 1-0 loss in Game 1, Seaman got its bats going in the second game to take an 11-4 victory and earn a Centennial League split with Manhattan Friday at Optimist Field.
Game 1 was a pitcher's duel between Manhattan’s Cade Perkins and Seaman’s Bryson Vawter, with the Indians making a third-inning run hold up for the win.
Vawter, a junior, had a stellar day for the Vikings, allowing just four hits while striking struck out eight batters.
“I felt great today and I felt like things were going to go well early on,” said Vawter, who was making his second start. “In both games, I felt great. I’ve pitched six innings in both games and I think that my stuff is getting better, the more I pitch. Giving up two runs combined in my last two starts is pretty good for me.”
Perkins, meanwhile, would work a complete-game shutout for Manhattan. Perkins allowed just one hit and struck out 13 Vikings in his stellar season debut.
“Getting ahead in the count against Seaman was big for me tonight,” Perkins said. “Before the season, my goal was to always get ahead against batters and not fall behind in the count against anybody.
“With the bullpens and the practices that we have had, I felt like my pitch control is really good.''
The two starters from Manhattan and Seaman combined for 21 strikeouts, so the offense wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard.
Seaman and Manhattan were all tied up until Braden Dinkel hit a double in the top of the third, bringing one run home to break the 0-0 tie and giving the Indians the lead.
After Dinkel’s RBI, Vawter and Perkins would create headaches for the batters. Nobody had an answer for either starter after Dinkel.
“(Perkins) was just dominant today,'' Manhattan coach Luke Snyder said. “Cade was exceptional. He continues to get better with every outing. Today was great for us and him. The game took about an hour and 15 minutes so you knew that it was a well-pitched game by both sides.”
“(Perkins) and Vawter pitched great today,” Seaman coach Trent Oliva said. “Manhattan was able to get a couple of more hits than us at the end, but I thought our defense was pretty good. Our guys were competing well in the first game, we just weren’t able to come out on top.”
Game 2 was the exact opposite of game one.
The Seaman offense regrouped after by putting up 11 runs on the board.
“The topic in between games was being more aggressive at the plate,” Oliva said. I thought we did a pretty good job putting the ball in play in the second game. There is some room for improvement, but it was a good showing by our guys.”
Seaman’s offense was able to score at least one run in five straight innings, forcing Manhattan to go deep into the bullpen.
“We stubbed our toe in the second game,” Snyder said. “I think our guys understood that there was some disappointment in our defense. We were able to outhit (Seaman), but we had four errors. The errors are not a characteristic of how we normally play defense.”
The Indians started off hot in the first inning. Three straight singles from Dinkel, Perkins and Jaxon Vikander set up Manhattan for two runs.
Seaman would capitalize on Manhattan’s early defensive mistakes in the bottom of the first inning.
The Vikings collected a three-run first inning with two hits. Manhattan gave up three walks and an error which gave the Vikings the momentum. Seaman would also force a pitching change in the first inning.
From that point on, the Vikings controlled the game.
Dagen Brewer delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the second, giving the Vikings separation from the Indians.
After giving up two runs in the first inning, Maclane Finley found a rhythm on the mound to help the Vikings build on their lead.
“Our pitching and defense have been really good,” Oliva said. “Our pitchers have been able to do their job and throw strikes. The pitchers have been doing great throwing different types of pitches for strikes consistently. Our defense not giving up errors and our pitchers throwing good pitches will always give us a chance to win.”
Seaman was able to put up back-to-back one-run innings giving the Vikings a five-run lead before the fifth inning.
The Vikings put up four more runs in the bottom of the fifth. A double by Aiden Polter, four walks and an error would allow the Vikings to gain an 11-3 lead.
Manhattan would collect one run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single from PJ Hughes.
Seaman (3-1) will play at De Soto (4-0) on Monday while Manhattan (1-1) will host Topeka High on Tuesday.
First game
MANHATTAN 1, SEAMAN 0
Manhattan 001 000 1 -- 1 4 0
Seaman 000 000 0 – 0 1 1
W -- Perkins (1-0). L – Vawter (1-1). 2B -- Manhattan: Schartz, Dinkel.
Second game
Manhattan 200 001 1 – 4 8 4
Seaman 321 140 X – 11 7 0
W – Finley (2-0). L – Horsman (0-1). 2B -- Manhattan: Bowles, Ginkle. Seaman: Vawter, Polter.
WasRelated Stories and Videos
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith has been named an All-Class 6A first-team selection by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association after leading the Trojans to a 20-3 record and a 6A state tournament berth.
Smith, 5-foot-7, was earlier named the Shawnee County and Centennial League player of the year.
Topeka High junior Kiki Smith has been named a first-team All-Class 6A pick by the KBCA after helping lead the Trojans to a 20-3 record and a 6A state tournament berth. [File photo/TSN]
Smith was one of seven county players to receive all-state recognition, including three players from 6A state champion Washburn Rural.
Washburn Rural senior Emma Krueger received second-team All-6A honors while junior Brooklyn DeLeye and sophomore Zoe Canfield both received All-6A honorable mention.
Topeka High senior Tae Thomas also received All-6A honorable mention while Seaman freshman Anna Becker received All-5A honorable mention.
Silver Lake sophomore Makenzie McDaniel earned second-team All-3A honors after helping lead the Eagles to a third-place finish in the 3A state tournament.
KBCA GIRLS ALL-STATE BASKETBALL Teams
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West's Elijah Brooks a 6-foot-4 senior, and Seaman 6-5 senior Ty Henry have been named to the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association All-Class 5A first team.
Brooks, the Shawnee County and Centennial League player of the year, helped lead the Chargers to a 5A state tournament berth and a 21-2 record overall, while Henry helped lead the Vikings to an 18-7 record and Seaman's first-ever boys state basketball championship.
Topeka West senior Elijah Brooks has been named to the KBCA All-5A first team after leading the Chargers to a 21-2 record and a 5A state tournament berth. [File photoTSN]
Seaman senior Ty Henry has received All-Class 5A first-team honors from the KBCA after helping lead the Vikings to the 5A state championship. [File photo/TSN]
Brooks and Henry were two of nine Shawnee County boys players to receive all-state recognition from the KBCA, including six players in 5A.
Highland Park senior Juan'Tario Roberts earned second-team All-5A recognition after helping the Scots advance to the 5A state tournament while Highland Park junior Bo Aldridge, Seaman junior Kaeden Bonner and Viking senior Mateo Hyman received honorable mention.
Hayden junior Joe Otting earned second-team All-4A honors after helping lead the Wildcats to a fourth-place finish in the 4A state tournament while Wildcat senior Trent Duffey received honorable mention.
Cair Paravel Latin senior Noah Hastert received second-team recognition in 1A Division I.
KBCA BOYS ALL-STATE BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's still very early in the 2022 high school track and field season, but Washburn Rural senior thrower Zach Sulzen-Watson looked to be in midseason form in Friday's season-opening Jerry Beardslee Invitational ... maybe even a little better.
Sulzen-Watson was a double individual winner Friday at Rural, establishing a new personal-record in the shot put while also eclipsing the mark he recorded in a fifth-place Class 6A state finish in the discus last spring.
Washburn Rural senior Zach Sulzen-Watson won Friday's shot put event in the Jerry Beardslee Invitational with a personal-best throw of 52 feet, 5 inches. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Zach Sulzen-Watson flashes the thumbs up sign after a big throw in Friday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sulzen-Watson easily set a PR record in the shot put with a winning effort of 52 feet, 5 inches and then won the discus event with a throw of 161-1, bettering the 153-3 he threw at state a year ago.
The discus is regarded as Sulzen-Watson's best and favorite event, and he has established himself as one of the state's best in that event.
"I just feel like (the disc) comes a little bit more natural,'' Sulzen-Watson said. "I just like spinning around, you know.''
But Sulzen-Watson also made a statement in the shot on Friday, admitting that his two and a half-foot improvement was a surprise, even to him.
"Absolutely,'' he said.
Now Sulzen-Watson just wants to build off his big season-opening performance over the rest of the season.
"In the shot I just want to be more explosive at the end; I'm kind of falling back,'' he said. "It's kind of the same thing in the disc. I'm not really finishing through the disc as much as I should be.''
And Sulzen-Watson wants to set his goals high, particularly in the discus.
"I'll go big -- 200 (feet),'' Sulzen-Watson said of his hopes for the season.
Other boys highlights Friday:
• If the weather had been a little bit better on Thursday, Highland Park junior Tre Richardson, a four-sport standout, wouldn't have even competed in the Jerry Beardslee Invitational.
But when the event was pushed back to Friday, that opened the door for a big day for Richardson.
Richardson won the 200-meter dash in 21.6 seconds after winning the long jump (22 feet, 2 inches) and the triple jump (43-6) earlier in the day.
Highland Park junior Tre Richardson (center) and teammate Tyrell Reed (left) battle at the end of the 100-meter dash in Friday's Jerry Beardslee Invitational. Reed and Richardson went 1-2, with both runners timed in 10.5 seconds. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Richardson also finished second to Scots teammate Tyrell Reed in the 100, with both runners timed in 10.5.
"It felt good to be back out here,'' Richardson said. "I'm glad it got moved to today because yesterday I would have had to go to baseball instead.''
Richardson, who has already received All-Shawnee County recognition in football and basketball, said he is rounding into track and field shape.
"I'm getting there ... almost,'' Richardson said. "I'm not where I want to be by the end of the season. By the end of the season I'm going to try to get in the 20s (in the 200).''
• Washburn Rural seniors Alex Holmes and Spencer Haddock went 1-2 in the 1,600 meters, with Holmes winning in 4:37.8 and Haddock second in 4:45.8.
JERRY BEARDSLEE INVITATIONAL
At Washburn Rural BOYS Individual results
