By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
TOPEKA - The Fort Hays State softball team battled the elements and Washburn Thursday at the MIAA Tournament at the Envista Softball Complex but came up short 3-1 to the Ichabods in an elimination game.
The game was delayed for an hour and a half at the start due to lightning then twice after it started for a total of 54 minutes.
The Tigers (31-24) out-hit Washburn seven to four but stranded nine baserunners, five of them in scoring position.
Washburn took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Marrit Mead led off the inning with a single then stole second base. She scored when the throw from pitcher Bailey Carlson went over the head of first baseman Lilly Ramirez-Johnson following a come-backer to the mound with two outs.
The Ichabods (37-15) pushed the lead to 3-0 on Danielle Schlader’s two-run homer off Savanah Egger with two outs in the third.
The Tigers would score their only run in the top of fourth when Topeka native Carly Stuke homered to center. FHSU, who stranded runners at third in each of the first two innings, had a chance in the seventh after Adysen Burghart led off the inning with a double. Peyton Shepard followed with a single the left. After Sarah Tiffany reached on a fielders choice, Loren Beggs struck out and Regan Curry grounded to first to end the game.
Bailey Carlson (11-10) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with one walk and no strikeouts over two innings and took the loss. Egger, who entered in the third, retried 11 of the 13 batters she faced.
Jaycee Ginter (24-9) pitched four scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts and two walks and picked up the win in relief for Washburn.
The Ichabods will play the loser of the Rogers State vs. Missouri Southern game which was pushed to Friday due to the weather.