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TopSports.news
Washburn University's softball team opened MIAA play Sunday in impressive fashion, posting a 10-1, 10-2 doubleheader sweep at Pittsburg State to improve to 16-3 while extending its winning streak to eight games.
Former Shawnee Heights star Jaycee Ginter Ginter tossed a complete-game four-hitter in the first game, striking out a career-high 11 batters to improve to 7-1 on the season while also hitting a home run.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn senior Brock Gilliam turned in an outstanding pitching performance in the first game of Sunday's series-ending home MIAA doubleheader against Northeastern State as the Ichabods earned a split.
Gilliam led Washburn to a 7-4 win in the first game, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing just three hits (two in the first inning) and tying his career high with 13 strikeouts. He recorded five 1-2-3 innings and struck out the side in the fifth.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history, Topeka West dominates TopSports.news' inaugural All-Shawnee County boys basketball team, with seniors Trevion Alexander and Marque Wilkerson sharing the player of the year honor while junior Elijah Brooks joins his teammates on the first team.
Washburn Rural senior Joe Berry and Highland Park senior CJ Powell round out the first team, with Berry leading the Junior Blues to a 14-7 record and a berth in a Class 6A sub-state championship game while Powell led the Scots to a 12-8 record this past season after helping Hi Park advance to the 5A state tournament as a junior.
Wilkerson averaged 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals this past season for the 21-3 Chargers while Alexander averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals and Brooks averaged 15.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Allison Sadler certainly wasn't the only reason Washburn University's volleyball team avenged an earlier loss to Northwest Missouri with a 3-1 victory Saturday at Lee Arena.
But the return of the Ichabods' All-MIAA senior setter was definitely a big factor as WU improved to 9-3 on the season with a 25-19, 24-26, 25-18, 25-16 win over the Bearcats, the Ichabods' fourth straight victory.
Northwest Missouri, which fell to 6-2, had handed Washburn its first loss of the spring season back on Feb. 24, with the Bearcats taking a 3-1 win at Maryville, Mo. as the Ichabods were still trying to adjust to playing without Sadler.
"At the time we had a weird situation in the fact that Allison is in law school and it was just too much for her (going to school and playing),'' Washburn coach Chris Herron said. "I encouraged her to step away. I said, 'You've got to be happy and you're not happy,' so she stopped playing, but she stopped playing the day before we were supposed to play (Northwest) and that gave us no time at all to prep for them. They're a good team and they took it to us.''
Washburn turned the tables in Saturday's rematch, however, with Sadler back in her customary role.
"Allison kind of got a refresher and after a couple of weeks said, 'Hey, wait! I'm going to make it work,' and she came back. She only comes to practice once a week, on Wednesdays, and then plays with us on the weekends. She's kind enough to do that and it makes a big difference.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the first time in his Northeastern State baseball career, Reid Fehr finally got the chance Saturday to play in his home town of Topeka.
The former Seaman three-sport athlete made the most of his opportunity, turning in a big performance at the plate as the RiverHawks rallied from 4-0 and 6-3 deficits to take a 13-6 MIAA win over Washburn in the first game if a three-game series.
Fehr went three for five on the day with a home run, four runs batted in and two runs scored, experiencing the kind of homecoming that athletes dream about.
"Absolutely,'' said Fehr, a six-year senior. "It's awesome to come home and get the first game of a series. Now we're looking forward to (Sunday's) doubleheader and just get after them again.''