By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University softball pounded out 25 hits and scored 15 runs in a doubleheader sweep over Newman on Monday afternoon, wrapping up an eight-game homestand.
The Ichabods, 27-16 overall and 9-7 in the MIAA, did not allow a run on the day, taking the first game 8-0 before completing the sweep with a 7-0 win.
Washburn's Alexis Tanguma pitched a three-hit shutout in Monday's 8-0 first-game win over Newman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
WU coach Brenda Holaday, whose Ichabods pushed their winning streak to three games, said Monday was a good way to cap their homestand.
"We're right in that grind part of the season and every game matters right now,'' Holaday said. "If you look at the MIAA standings people are beating each other up every weekend so it was good to have a day where things weren't so intense.
"But part of that was us taking care of business. We pitched better, we defended better and we hit the ball so when you do that good things happen.''
Washburn will be on the road this weekend with MIAA contests at Missouri Western on Friday and at Northwest Missouri on Saturday.
After a scoreless first inning in Monday's opener, the Ichabods scored three runs in the bottom of the second, capped by Dalaney Anderson's first collegiate home run, a three-run shot that scored Kate Ediger and Danielle Schlader.
In the third, the Ichabods added three more runs on another 3-run homer, this time by Jaden LaBarge that scored Erin Boles and Ashlyn Gaughan.
Washburn's final runs of the run-rule game came in the following inning when Boles connected on a two-out double, sending Ellington Hogle and Makenzie Sais, who both reached on singles.
Alexis Tanguma picked up the pitching win in the opener over the Jets (6-32, 1-13), tossing all five innings while allowing just three hits.
Washburn finished with nine hits, with Hogle, Sais, Boles and LaBarge all recording two hits apiece.
As in the first game, the Ichabods jumped on the board in the bottom of the second inning of the nightcap when LaBarge homered in her third straight game with a shot down the left-field line.
Mariah Wheeler followed with a double, and then with two outs, Hogle doubled to left, scoring Ediger as Washburn went up 2-0.
Washburn plated a solo run in the fourth when Wagner's sac fly scored Hogle, who started the inning with a single.
The Ichabods added three more runs in the fifth inning when Hogle's hit to center was misplayed, scoring both Maddie McGee and Ediger.
Kate Dolan then recorded a pinch-hit double to score Hogle as Washburn went up 7-0.
Washburn's Sadie Walker picked up her 13th win in Monday's 7-0 MIAA win over Newman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sadie Walker moved to 13-6 in the circle, pitching four innings and allowing one hit.
Jenna Sprague tossed the final three innings for her fourth save of the season, allowing one hit.
Silver Lake product Ellington Hogle had three hits and three RBI in Monday's 7-0 second-game WU win over Newman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn finished with a season-high 16 hits in the win, led by Hogle's three hits and 3 RBI.
Sais, Tanguma, LaBarge and Wheeler all had two hits.
Ichabod baseball takes 7-3 win over Rogers State
Washburn built an early lead and used a strong pitching effort to win the series finale over Rogers State 7-3 on Monday afternoon.
The Ichabods are back in action Wednesday, facing No. 2 Central Missouri at Falley Field at 5 p.m.
After a scoreless top of the first inning from Caleb Lunnon the Washburn (18-19, 11-13 MIAA) offense gave him a lead right away. Jackson Mervosh led off with a walk before stealing second. With two outs Cash Jay shot a single through the left side of the infield to score him and go up 1-0.
Lunnon kept the Rogers State (21-12, 11-10 MIAA) bats quiet, in the fourth with the help of his catcher Hayden Priest, ending the inning with a strikeout and throwing out a runner at second base.
In the bottom of the inning, Garrett Springer reached on a walk, moving to second and scoring on a single to left field by Blake Scott.
The next time up Priest led off with a double before coming around to score on a out-out single by Easton Bruce through the right side. The bases were loaded up on a pair of walks with two more scoring on a single by Payton McHarg to make it 5-0.
Lunning finished his outing with a scoreless sixth inning before Griffin Huiatt picked up where he left off, throwing a scoreless seventh. Easton Bruce added to the lead with a solo home run just inside the right field foul pole in the home half of the inning.
The Hillcats were able to get on the board in the eighth inning, beginning with a leadoff walk followed by a home run. A double put one more on, coming around to score on an error to cut the deficit down to 6-3.
In the home half of the inning Washburn took advantage of an error, with singles by Mervosh and Priest scoring a run to increase the cushion. After recording the final out of the eighth inning, Fidel Hatch remained in the game for the ninth, stranding two runners to finish the game and record a save.
With the hits late, the Hillcats out-hit the Ichabods 9-8, while Washburn was able to work six walks compared to just two free passes for the visitors.
Caleb Lunnon delivered the second straight quality start for the Ichabods, throwing 100 pitches over six innings, striking out five with no walks. Four total pitchers combined for nine strikeouts.
Easton Bruce and Hayden Priest each had multi-hit days, with Bruce driving in two and going yard. Payton McHarg also drove in a pair, going 1-2 at the plate.
