By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Brenda Holaday is always looking for improvement, but after a slow start to the 2022 season the veteran Washburn University softball coach certainly can't complain with where her Ichabods are sitting with just 14 games left in the regular season.
The Ichabods wrapped up a 4-0 weekend Saturday with a 9-1, 8-4 MIAA sweep over Northwest Missouri State, improving to 28-11 on the year (10-2 in the MIAA) and a perfect 18-0 at Gahnstrom Field while extending their win streak to eight games.
"You think about it, you started out 2-6, so we're happy with where we are,'' Holiday said. "We just know how tough this conference is, and we know we'll have our hands full on the road next weekend, so it's just about continuing to get a little better every week.''
Washburn senior pitcher Raegen Hamm picked up the second-game win in Saturday's 9-1, 8-4 sweep over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn scored four runs in the second inning, a run in the fifth and four in the sixth of the first game, cruising to the eight-run, run-rule victory.
In the second inning Ashton Friend and Kimi Patterson were hit by pitches in back-to-back trips to the plate, two of the eight times the Ichabods were plunked on the afternoon.
Washburn shortstop Autymn Schreiner waits for the throw to second Saturday as a Northwest Missouri player attempts to steal. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Autymn Schreiner singled to load the bases and then Maddie Stipsits was hit to score Patterson.
Marrit Mead then cleared the bases with a triple as the Ichabods went up, 4-0.
The Bearcats scored a run in the top of the third, but the Ichabods answered with a run in the fifth when Mead singled and then scored on a single up the middle by Jaycee Ginter.
The Ichabods finished off the game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth as Rylee Seymour delivered a pinch-hit single followed by singles by Schreiner and Jaden LaBarge.
After Ellington Hogle reached on a fielder's choice, Mead singled to score Schreiner and Paige Robbins ended the game with a single up the middle.
Mead, a Sante Fe Trail product, tied a career-high with four runs batted in, going 3 for 4 with a run scored. Schreiner had two hits and scored twice and Robbins drove in two.
Former Shawnee Heights star Ginter moved to 19-3 in the pitching circle, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out eight batters.
The Ichabods jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game in the bottom of the first inning as Mead was hit by a pitch and then stole second.
After Robbins singled and stole second, Ginter doubled to left center field to score both Mead and Robbins.
Hadley Kerschen was hit by a picth and a single by LaBarge set up Patterson's single to center that scored Kerschen. The Ichabods sent nine to the plate in the inning.
After the Bearcats (6-29, 0-10) scored a pair of runs in the top of the second, Washburn came back with two runs on back-to-back doubles by Mead, Robbins and Ginter, putting the Ichabods up, 6-2.
Washburn scored two more runs in the third, taking advantage of a Bearcat error as Robbins' double to center scored Patterson and then Mead, who was hit, came around to score on a sac fly by Friend.
The Bearcats scored a solo run in the sixth on a solo home run by Lauren Gray.
Raegen Hamm pictched 41/3 innings and struck out six for WU, improving to 8-6 on the season while allowing an earned run and scattering three hits. Ginter came on to pitch the seventh inning.
Robbins finished with three hits for the Ichabods while Ginter drove in three runs and Robbins had two RBI.
Mead was 5 of 6 on the day with four runs scored and four RBI. Ginter also drove in four runs as did Robbins.
"We do a lot of things well,'' Holaday said. "We just have a new things we need to clean up for sure.''
The Ichabods will be in action next weekend with a road games at Fort Hays State on Friday and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
First game
WASHBURN 9, NORTHWEST MISSOURI 1
Northwest Missouri 001 000 -- 1 2 0
Washburn 040 014 -- 9 10 0
Dickey, Campbell (6) and Friest. Ginter and Darnell. W -- Ginter (19-3). L -- Dickey (3-10). 2B -- Northwest Missouri: Blackford. 3B -- Washburn: Mead.
Second game
WASHBURN 8, NORTHWEST MISSOURI 4
Northwest Missouri 201 001 0 -- 4 7 1
Washburn 422 000 x -- 8 10 1
Defrain, Simmons (3) and Ruehle. Thissen, Hamm (2), Ginter (7) and Darnell. W -- Hamm (8-6). L -- Defrain (1-6). 2B -- Northwest Missouri: Blackford, Kemper. Washburn: Robbins 2, Ginter 2, Mead. HR -- Northwest Missouri: Gray..
