By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning Saturday and held on to win 9-7 over No. 19 Central Oklahoma to advance to the MIAA Championships.
The Ichabods will face the top-seeded Central Missouri on Thursday in Pittsburg.
Washburn's Connor Scott (11) had two homers and four RBI in Saturday's 9-7 MIAA tournament win at Central Oklahoma. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn (31-19) got two on base in the top of the first but were unable to bring anyone around. The No. 4-seeded Bronchos (36-14) got on the board in the bottom of the first with a two-out solo homer to right. The next inning they hit another solo homer to lead off the inning and lead 2-0 after two.
With two outs in the third inning two straight Central Oklahoma batters reached base after being hit by pitches. A wild pitch moved both over before a double scored the pair, doubling the lead.
In the top of the fifth inning the Ichabods were able to get on the board after a one-out double from Cal Watkins started the offense and turned the lineup over.
First-team All-MIAA pick Payton McHarg cut the deficit in half, hitting a two-run shot to right center. With two outs in the inning All-MIAA honoree Cash Jay took a 1-1 pitch to the same part of the yard for another run.
WU's Chase Torkelson settled into his start, throwing scoreless fourth and fifth innings to hold the Bronchos down.
In the top of the sixth Connor Scott led off the inning with a solo homer to center field, tying the game.
A pair of one-out walks along with a wild pitch left two on in the home half of the sixth for UCO.
The home team took the lead after executing a double steal aided by an error in the field. A sacrifice fly scored another run as the Bronchos led by two after six.
Washburn led off the seventh with a pair of outs before the offense got going.
For the second time in the game Jay went yard, blasting a solo homer to center. Priest followed with a single and he scored on Connor Scott's second long ball of the game to put the Ichabods in front.
The Bronchos led off the seventh with a walk and a single before going to small ball to move the lead runner around and in on an RBI groundout to tie the game.
Charlie Kiefer kept the game scoreless through the eighth inning on the mound for Washburn.
In the ninth the Ichabods got their sixth home run of the game off the bat of Cale Savage to dead away center field, taking the lead with one out.
After Jay was hit by a pitch Connor Scott shot a line drive into the left-field corner for a double, scoring Jay and adding an insurance run to the board.
Kiefer got the first out of the bottom of the ninth before Griffin Huiatt took over and sat down the last two hitters, picking up the save and completing the two-game sweep.
With the win Washburn extended its winning streak to a season-high eight games.
The Ichabods more than doubled Central Oklahoma in hits, with the No. 5 seeded visitors picking up 13 knocks in the game.
Jay and Connor Scott each had three hits on the day with two home runs each. Scott drove in four runs and scored two himself.
Washburn pitchers combined to allow just five hits while striking out five.
Torkelson tossed 5.1 innings with three strikeouts, Kiefer went 2.2 innings, allowing one run to get the win and move to 4-2 on the year. Huiatt retired both batters he faced to pick up his second save of the season.
