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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]](/images/aa-images/JayceeGinterrunner.jpg)
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).
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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.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Friday night was all about celebrating Seaman High baseball and many of the people who have helped make the Vikings one of the most successful programs in Kansas history.
Seaman inducted nine players, two coaches and the school's first-ever state championship team as part of its inaugural 2021 Hall of Honor class Friday in the school auditorium.
"We're here tonight in a celebration of so many people that have impacted a great (Seaman) community -- a great high school, a great program and all the players and coaches that have put in so much time and effort and dedicated so much of their life to making this program what it is today,'' said Steve Bushnell, longtime Seaman baseball coach and the school's current athletic director.
Steve Bushnell (standing), who coached Seaman to nine state baseball titles, talks about Hall of Honor inductee Ben Carlson Friday night at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The first two coaches in program history, the late Duane 'Blackie' Melvin (1986 and '87) and Phil Loomis ('88-'98), were inducted into the Hall of Honor as well as longtime program contributor Dan Carlson, the 2000 team that won the first of the Vikings' nine state championships, and former Seaman standouts Ben Carlson (class of 2006), Chris Carlson (class of 2002), Eric Cheray (class of 2011), Ryan Colombo (class of 1986), Rick DeHart (class of 1986), Robbie Rea (class of 2009), Chad Rodriquez (class of 1992), Richard Thomas (class of 1989) and Ryan Zeferjahn (class of 2016).
Players and coaches for the 2000 team that beat Hays 12-9 in the state championship game incuded Larry Kelly, Jeff Kurdziel, Travis Northup, Ryan Brooks, Derek Child, Charlie Dillon, Michael Hansford, Austin Hanson, Nick LaBin, Nick Butler, Chris Carlson, Steve DeForest, Kyle Edwards, Ryan Heston, Chris McCulloch, Adam Schroeder, Chad Brown, David Duckworth, Mark Simoneau, Richard Thomas and Bushnell.
"We were just a band of brothers and it just goes to show you that from where you start to where you finish, that's two different seasons and we definitely finished the right way,'' Chris Carlson said of the 2000 championship team. "I was proud to be part of an unbelievable team.''
Seaman Hall of Honor inductee Chris Carlson shares the stage with the softball teams he coaches during Friday night's ceremonies. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
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Topeka High senior Ja'Neysha Hendricks has signed a letter of intent with Tabor College after leading the city in assists this past season. [File photo/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High senior Ja'Neysha Hendricks signed a women's basketball letter of intent with Tabor College Thursday at High.
Hendricks, the Trojans' 5-foot-7 point guard, helped Topeka High advance to the Class 6A state tournament three straight seasons, including second-place state finishes as a sophomore and this past season. High advanced to the 6A semifinals Hendricks' junior season before the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
As a senior Hendricks led the city in assists, averaging 4.5 a game.
Hendricks will be joining a Tabor College program that posted a 19-8 record in 2020-21.Tabor, located in Hillsboro, advanced to the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship game.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Nic Simons knows that his Shawnee Heights girls soccer team still has work to do, particularly on the offensive end.
But a 4-0 home victory over United Kansas Conference foe Leavenworth Thursday night and a 7-2-1 record overall are proof that the young T-Birds, who have just five seniors, are headed in the right direction.
Leavenworth senior Audry Barnes (15) battles Shawnee Heights sophomore Kalyn Walter for the ball in Thursday's United Kansas Conference soccer match. Walter scored a goal in the T-Birds' 4-0 win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights struggled much of the night to capitalize on scoring opportunities, but got the only goal it would need on a shot from freshman Ariana Smith with 9 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first half.
"When we played these guys last time they really stifled us the first half, similar to how they did tonight,'' Simons said. "But we broke through with that early goal and it seemed like we played a little bit more relaxed once we got that goal.''
The T-Birds went through another long dry spell after Smith's goal, but heated up late in the match, scoring their final three goals over a span of 9 minutes to put the Pioneers away.
Sophomore Lily Martin made the score 2-0 with 14:40 remaining and sophomore Kalyn Walter scored 2:28 later before sophomore Isabelle Sanchez tacked on the final goal with 5:40 remaining.
