TOPEKA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team got a solid start from Sammy Sanchez and a good effort from relievers Zach Berg and Dylan Hamilton, but Washburn was the team that ended up finding the game-winning run in extra innings Saturday (Feb. 26). The Tigers (1-12, 0-1 MIAA) knotted things up with a rally in the ninth before the Ichabods (9-4, 1-0 MIAA) walked off in the 12th.
 
Fort Hays State jumped in front early after Jenner Kehe worked another walk, his league-leading 13th of the season. He then swiped his fourth bag of the year before scoring on a single from Grant Schmidt. The Tigers went on to load the bases with just one out, but Washburn got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
Sanchez was rolling from the start, tossing one of his four one-two-three innings in the home half of the first. He worked around a walk and two hits in the second to escape unscathed before retiring the next 10 batters he faced. The Ichabods finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth with a home run, but Sanchez shook that off with back-to-back strikeouts. He then worked around three hits to post another zero in the seventh, his final inning of work.
 
The Tigers had chances on offense, picking up base runners in each of the first six innings. But Ichabod starter Rane Pfeifer and long reliever Dalton Huggins always found a way to get out of the jam. Huggins appeared to be in line for a win after retiring eight in a row, leading to a two-out, nobody on situation in the top of the ninth. Griffin Brunson had other thoughts, working a five-pitch walk to keep the inning going. Kehe followed with a single before Ed Scott tied things up with an RBI single between the short stop and third baseman. A throw from left tried to catch Brunson at home, but the shortstop beat the throw easily.
 
After coming on to retire the side in order in the eighth, Zach Berg got into a little bit of trouble in the ninth with a leadoff double. It was later first and third with one out, but the redshirt-junior got out of the jam with a pop out and a flyout, sending things to extra innings.
 
Fort Hays State had two men on in both the 11th and 12th innings, but could not get a run across. Berg worked around a walk in the 10th to keep things going before Dylan Hamilton retired the side in order in the 11th. Washburn finally pushed a run across with a sacrifice fly in the 12th after two walks and a bunt single loaded the bases with one out.
 
Sanchez struck out eight Ichabods over 7.0 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and just one walk. Berg tossed 3.0 scoreless frames, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out one. Hamilton (0-1) took the loss after allowing one run on one hit and two walks over 1.2 innings of relief.
 
The Tigers had six hits from six different players in the contest. Fort Hays State did not commit an error for the third time this season, compared to two fielding miscues by the Ichabods.
 
The conference series will continue Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at Falley Field.