Stoltz slams home five RBI as Ichabods and Bearcats split, Saturday's action postponed

April 6, 2007

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats



The Ichabods gave up the lead in the opener Friday against Northwest Missouri State, losing 5-4 in extra innings but then Mark Stoltz hit a grand slam as part of a seven-run inning to lead to a 9-7 win in the night cap. Washburn put its record at 13-14 and stayed even in the MIAA at 7-7 while the Bearcats went to 18-16 and 11-4. The two teams will postpone the final two games of the series, originally scheduled for Saturday and make them up May 1 at 4 p.m. at Falley Field.

Washburn’s next action, a doubleheader at Fort Hays State, has been moved from Tuesday to Wednesday and will begin at 2 p.m.

Game 1
The Ichabods struck first and led until the Bearcats got a pair of solo home runs to tie the game at 4-4. NWMSU then scored in the top of the ninth for the extra-inning win.

Kyle Peter led off the game with a single and then scored when Wes Joy followed with a double. Joy later was driven in when Zach Walton grounded out to the shortstop.

The Bearcats cut Washburn’s 2-0 lead in half with a run in the second off two singles and an error but the Ichabods got that run back when Walton doubled and then was driven in when Stoltz singled to left-center in the third.

In the fourth the Ichabods added their fifth run when Nathan Proctor led off with a single and then scored on an infield hit by Peter.

WU starter Jeff LaCerte went the first seven innings, striking out nine and walking two. He had a 4-2 lead until the top of the seventh when a pair of Bearcat brothers hit solo home runs to tie the game. Ryley Westman lined one over the leftfield fence and then his brother, Britt Westman hit a high shot down the leftfield line that just stayed fair.

The Bearcats then scored the winning run in the ninth on an RBI single.

Matt Traxler pitched the extra innings for WU and was charged with the loss (0-1), allowing the lone run off one hit.

Game 2
The Ichabods exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning and then held off an NWMSU comeback as they took the second game, 9-7 to even the series.

Stoltz hit his second home run of the year with a grand slam to leftfield in the fourth as the Ichabods sent 12 batters to the plate. The Ichabods loaded the bases with a hit batter, a walk and a perfectly-placed bunt by Tyler Blankenship that rolled up the third baseline and stayed fair. Nick Barnes then drove in two on a single and Peter followed with another RBI single. Walton’s single through the left side loaded the bases again and set the stage for Stoltz’ blast.

Down 9-4 in the fifth inning the Bearcats got one run back on an RBI single and then they pulled within two with two runs on a pair of hits in the sixth.

Drew Tucker pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing no runs or hits with one walk and a strikeout. He earned the save while starter Randy Wild got the win with 5 1/3 innings of work. He improved to 4-3 while allowing seven runs, five earned, off eight hits with seven strikeouts.