By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University baseball took the lead four batters into the game Wednesday afternoon and added to its advantage the rest of the way, knocking off Southern Nazarene at Bethany, Okla.,14-3, in the Ichabods' final non-conference game of the season.
Cash Jay had three hits with a home run in Washburn's 14-3 win at Southern Nazarene on Wednesday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods, 26-19 on the year, return to conference play this weekend for three games at Northeastern State, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Washburn's offense led off with Payton McHarg slashing a single to right before Cale Savage traded places with him on a fielders choice. Savage was moved to second and scored on a single into left field by Hayden Priest to open up the scoring for the Ichabods.
Cal Watkins slashed a one-out single in the second and scored on a double from McHarg to left center. Savage followed with a run-scoring single to the outfield to make it 3-0 Washburn.
Charlie Kiefer got his third start of the season and delivered a pair of scoreless innings to begin the game.
The Storm (12-35) got on the board in the third with a hit batter followed by a home run to right, cutting the lead to one.
Washburn got the runs back the next half inning, scoring four runs that all came with two outs.
Cash Jay homered to left, scoring Savage, who reached on an error. After Priest walked Connor Scott blasted another home run to score two more runs.
Kiefer ended his outing, throwing a scoreless fourth inning, finishing with five strikeouts and allowing two runs. Southern Nazarene scored an unearned run in the fifth off of Jayden Payne after two hits and an error.
In the sixth the Ichabods were able to break the game open.
Savage led off with a walk and Jay followed with a single. Priest made it two straight singles, scoring Savage. Connor Scott lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Jay, and Blake Scott drove in Priest with a single.
Jett Buck became the fourth straight hitter to drive in a run on a home run to left field to make it a 12-3 game after five and a half innings.
After the WU offensive outburst, Fidel Hatch took over on the mound and delivered scoreless sixth and seventh innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two.
In the eighth, Trevor McCollum hit a one-out double and later scored after a single from McHarg that brought home the run on an error. With two outs Otto Jones knocked a pinch-hit double into left to add another run.
Cole Warner finished the game off on the mound to secure the 14-3 win over the Storm.
The Ichabods finished with 20 hits in the game, with McHarg, Jay, Priest and McCollum all picking up three hits.
Connor Scott led Washburn with three runs driven in.
The quartet of Washburn pitchers combined to strike out nine while allowing nine hits and walking four.
Payne moved to 1-0 after picking up the win.
