TOPEKA — Though Daniel Waggoner said the seventh inning felt the same, it ended up making all the difference.
After striking out a pair of Washburn batters to close out the sixth, the ESU pitcher went back to the mound against Washburn looking to hold onto a six-run lead.
He — and the rest of the Hornet bullpen — never were able to do so.
The Ichabods hit the jackpot for triple sevens on Sunday — scoring seven runs on seven hits in the seventh inning — as WU shocked ESU with a 9-8 come-from-behind victory at Falley Field in Topeka.
“Nothing changed,” Waggoner said. “They just put the ball where they needed to.”
The triumph completed a Sunday sweep after WU’s 9-6 win in the first game of the doubleheader. The two teams split the weekend series after ESU took 7-1 and 6-1 victories on Saturday in Emporia.
After scoring five runs in the top of the seventh, ESU held an 8-2 lead and looked to be headed to a 3-1 series victory, especially with the dependable Waggoner coming back to the mound.
“Danny’s been our best down the stretch — that’s why we went to him because we knew this was a very big game for us,” ESU coach Bob Fornelli said. “It just wasn’t meant to be.”
After allowing a pair of consecutive doubles to Kyle Peter and Wes Joy, Waggoner hit Tommy Mangino, then gave up singles to Zach Walton and Mark Stoltz, a double to Calvin Iversen and another single to Tyler Blankenship.
Fornelli replaced Waggoner, who failed to retire any of the seven batters he faced in the seventh inning.
“You can’t do that to win,” Fornelli said. “Somebody’s got to step up and get it done. It just didn’t happen today.”
Kellen Mitts took over, but nearly all the damage had taken place.
An RBI groundout from Steve Kinderknecht tied it at 8, while Peter contributed his second double of the inning — a liner down the left-field line — to give the Ichabods their lead at 9-8.
ESU threatened in the ninth with a Bill Sharp walk and Andy Anderson bloop single to center, but with two outs, Tim Barger’s lined shot was gloved on one hop by the first baseman Walton, who beat the senior to the bag.
“It’s pretty disappointing,” Sharp said. “It’s getting down to the end of the year, and we need every win we can get.”
With the losses, ESU dropped to fifth in the MIAA standings. The top four teams advance to the conference tournament next week.
ESU still has a good chance of making it to the MIAA tourney if it performs well this week. The Hornets can tie Fort Hays State for fourth tonight if they defeat Missouri Southern in a makeup game at 2 p.m.
ESU owns tiebreakers over Missouri Western and FHSU based on its 2-2 record against the league’s top team, Central Missouri.
The Hornets also play Pittsburg State at home Thursday before playing host to a four-game weekend series against last-place Truman.
“It comes down to us taking care of ourselves and not looking about what everyone else is doing,” Fornelli said. “If we do that, we still have a chance to make the conference tournament.”
ESU also had a big inning go against it in the first game on Sunday.
The Hornets led 4-1 in the top of the fourth before Washburn rallied.
After allowing a pair of bloop singles then hitting a batter, ESU starter Grant Meisenheimer was pulled in place of Aaron Burris.
Burris didn’t fare any better that inning, allowing two more singles and a double as WU scored six runs on five hits and took a 7-4 lead.
The Hornets scored a pair of runs on an RBI single in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough.
Brian Majors and Keith Hernandez both had a pair of hits in Game One, while Mark McBratney added his ninth homer — a no-doubt shot down the line in left.
In Game Two, Matt Marasco, Andy Anderson and Sharp all had a pair of hits. Starter Brett Brandon picked up a no decision after holding WU scoreless through the first five innings. He ended up allowing two earned runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
“The loss hurts, but we’re a good club,” Waggoner said. “We can come back from it.”
The pitching results were much better for ESU on Saturday, as the Hornets held the Ichabods to two runs combined in the first two games of the series.
Trent Lare went six innings strong in the first game, allowing one hit while striking out nine.
Brock Nehls was just as impressive in Game Two. He went all nine innings, giving up a single run. He walked none and struck out seven.
Sharp had four hits in Saturday’s twinbill.
ESU (29-21, 18-12 MIAA) will finish off the regular season with six games over the next seven days.
On three day’s rest, Mickey Lara will take the mound today against Southern.
“We’ve got to get on the bus, let these games go,” Fornelli said, “and find a way to win.”
Sunday at Emporia
Game One
Washburn 9, ESU 6
Emporia State 102 100 2 — 6 7 3
Washburn 001 620 X — 9 10 1
W — Cook. L — Burris.
E — ESU: Crumbliss; Wolfe; Barger; WU: Walton. DP — Hornets 1. LOB — Hornets 5; Ichabods 7. 2B — ESU: Crumbliss; Majors; Anderson; WU: Joy 2. HR — ESU: McBratney. HBP — ESU: Hernandez; Wolfe; Barger; WU: Blankenship; Kinderknecht. SH — WU: Peter. SB — ESU: Majors. CS — ESU: Hernandez.
Game Two
Washburn 9, ESU 8
Emporia State 000 210 500 — 8 13 2
Washburn 000 002 70X — 9 14 3
W — Tucker. L — Waggoner. Sv — Contee.
E — ESU: Anderson; Brandon; WU: Egan; Blankenship; Kinderknecht. DP — Ichabods 2. LOB — Hornets 10; Ichabods 11. 2B — WU: Peter 2; Joy; Iversen; Blankenship. 3B — ESU: McBratney; Sharp. HR — WU: Stoltz. HBP — ESU: Crumbliss; Barger; WU: Mangino. SB — ESU: Crumbliss; Wolfe.
Saturday at Emporia
Game One
ESU 7, WU 1
Washburn 000 100 0 — 1 10 0
Emporia State 241 000 X — 7 9 0
W — Lare. L — Stroth.
DP — Hornets 1. LOB — Ichabods 9; Hornets 4. HR — ESU: Majors; McBratney. HBP — WU: Mangino; ESU: Barger. SF — ESU: Crumbliss. SB — ESU: Marasco; Sharp; Barger. CS — ESU: Evans.
Game Two
ESU 6, WU 1
Washburn 000 100 000 — 1 8 1
Emporia State 000 302 10X — 6 11 1
W — Nehls. L — Engelken.
E — WU: Joy; ESU: Anderson. DP — Ichabods 2; Hornets 1. LOB — Ichabods 7; Hornets 7. 2B —WU: Mangino; Blankenship; ESU: Crumbliss; Wolfe. HR — ESU: Hernandez; Wolfe. SB — WU: Peter; ESU: Sharp 2; Anderson.