April 20, 2019-Emporia State could not overcome giving up seven runs in the first three innings as they fell to Washburn 7-3 in the final game of the Turnpike Tussle. The Hornets won the three game series 2-1.
Cooper Minnick doubled with one out and made it to third but could not score in the Hornets half of the first inning. The Ichabods would score three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first with Brady Hoover delivering a two run homer for the big hit of the inning.
Lou Pener homered in the second to the get Emporia State on the board. Washburn answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. After Lee got a strike out to start the inning, the next four Ichabods reached base. Hoover got the first RBI on a single to right, followed by a sac fly from Peter Shearer. Mason LeClair then relieved Lee with runners on first and third when Hoover stole home on a delayed steal to give Washburn a 6-1 lead. Lane Harvey made it 7-1 with an RBI double in the bottom of the third.
Emporia State got a run back in the top of the sixth when Grove led off with a single, went to second on a ground out and stole third before Connor Hurst drove him home with a single. Grove led off the eighth inning with a home run to get the Hornets within 7-3. It was followed two outs later by singles from Hurst and Paul Claassen but they were stranded on a fly ball out by Tyrus Barclay as the Hornets fell 7-3.
LeClair gave up one run on three hits in 4.1 innings of relief with six strikeouts while Drew Scrimsher threw 2.0 scoreless innings. Offensively Grove was three for four with two runs and an RBI.
Emporia State steps out of the MIAA on Tuesday, April 23 when they take on Southwestern Oklahoma State in Enid, Okla.
