Ichabods sweep Missouri Southern, move to third in MIAA
April 21 , 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats

TOPEKA – The Ichabods pounded out 19 runs on 25 hits as they swept Missouri Southern 6-5 in the opener and 13-11 in the nightcap. Washburn is now 25-16 and third in the MIAA at 13-5. The same two teams will play another twin bill Saturday at noon.

Washburn is ranked No. 7 in this week's NCAA Central Region poll. The top six teams in the region advance to the tournament.

In the first game the Ichabods gave up a run in the top of the first inning and then got three of their own in the bottom half. Sam Sissom led off reaching on an error. He then stole second and advanced to third on a fly out. After Mark Stoltz walked the Lions tried picking him off at first. Stoltz, last week's MIAA hitter of the week, broke for second and as they tried to pick him off Sissom headed home. The Lions gave up on Stoltz and threw home. Sissom got in ahead of the tag for the first run. Jessie Schmidt then homered to straight-away center field on the next pitch.

Washburn got three more in the second when Stoltz homered to left center. He drove in Tyler Blankenship, who singled, and Luke Manners, who was hit by a pitch.

Jake Lenherr went the distance, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He improved his record to 6-3 and has won his last four starts on the mound. He has also pitched five straight complete games.

In the second game Washburn took a 7-3 lead after two innings but Southern kept clawing back. Up 11-7 through five innings, WU let the Lions score four in the sixth to tie it at 11 and take away the chance for a win for Adam Schroeder. Washburn managed to get two in the sixth to take the lead for good and Keith Barkemeyer, who pitched the final 3 2/3 innings, got the win, allowing just a run and four hits.

Chris Atkins had a hard hit ball go off the MSSU shortstop and into foul territory near the Ichabod bench. He ended up with an infield, three-run double. Sissom, Washburn's new career at-bat leader with 610 now, was 4-for-5 in the game, scoring three runs. He is also 14 hits away from the top of that category. Stoltz went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI.