By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team finished up a busy weekend on Sunday with a split on the final day of the Washburn Invitational, highlighted by a five-inning perfect game tossed by sophomore pitcher Sadie Walker in a 12-0 win over Rockhurst.
Walker's gem was the first perfect game for a Washburn pitcher since Kelly Swygert pitched one against Southwest Baptist on March 28, 2007.
The Ichabods, now 14-4 on the season, put the game out of reach when when they jumped on the Hawks for 10 runs in the their first at bat.
Washburn sent a total of 14 batters to the plate in the frame to give Walker, a Holton native, plenty of offensive support.
The Ichabods had six hits in the opening inning, with Kaylee Wagner, Danielle Schlader, Autymn Schreinder Marrit Mead, Erin Boles and Jaycee Ginter all knocking in runs.
Ginter, a former Shawnee Heights star, added a solo home run before Washburn's final run came in the fourth when Riley Stephens singled to score Molly Gilbert, who doubled earlier in the inning.
Walker faced the minimum 15 batters in the win, improving to 7-2 on the season with nine strikeouts.
Walker threw just 74 pitches with 49 for strikes. Her no-no was also the first of any kind since Ginter threw a seven inning no-hitter against Fort Hays State on March 26, 2021.
The Ichabods had 12 hits overall against the Hawks, with Ginter and Wagner recording two apiece.
Boles drove in three runs and Mead, Ginter and Schlader each had two RBI.
GAME 1 – AUGUSTANA 3, WASHBURN 0
Washburn was limited to six hits against Augustana in Sunday's 3-0 loss to the Vikings, who broke the scoreless game with two runs in the top of the sixth and adding one more in the seventh for the win.
Mead, a former Santa Fe Trail star, had two of hits for the Ichabods, including a double.
Ginter took the pitching loss, striking out two in the game.
Washburn returns to the road this week to take part in the McKendree Invitational in O'Fallon, Mo.