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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Very little has come easy for Washburn University baseball thus far in 2026 and that trend continued Wednesday at Steve Anson Stadium.
But after visiting Fort Hays State rallied from a 4-1 deficit to force extra innings and took a one-run lead in the top of the 10th, the Ichabods came through with two runs in the bottom of the inning to earn a much-needed 6-5 MIAA win over the Tigers and snap a five-game losing streak.
Chase Littrell is mobbed by his Washburn teammates after delivering a walkoff double in Wednesday's 6-5 10-inning win over Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn, which has been plagued by close losses in the early going this season, improved to 9-15 overall and 6-6 in the conference while Fort Hays State fell to 9-15, 6-8.
"We haven't had one of those in awhile,'' Washburn coach Harley Douglas said. "We had talked about the adversity the whole time and we had lost eight games where it was either one or two-run ballgames and five of them being one-run games.
"You're just like, man, one of these times we've got to come through when it's time and you want to face the adversity and want to take the moment, don't let it define who you are You need to go get it and I thought our guys did a pretty good job of that today.''
Fort Hays State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third after the Tigers took advantage of a double, a hit batter and a Washburn error to score an unearned run.
Levi Risenhoover went 3 for 5 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Washburn's 6-5 win over Fort Hays State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But left-fielder Ian Luce doubled for Washburn with two outs in the bottom of the third and right-fielder Levi Risenhoover followed with a home run that cleared the trees in left field, putting the Ichabods up, 2-1.
Ichabod shortstop Jackson Mervosh led off the fourth inning with a double, moved to third on a balk and scored on a sacrifice fly by center-fielder Chase Littrell to put Washburn up 3-1.
Washburn took a 4-1 advantage in the fifth, beginning with a leadoff walk from third baseman Trenton Barry. Luce and Risenhoover both followed with singles to produce the Ichabod run.
Washburn starter Mark Hoffman pitched 5 and 1/3 innings without allowing an unearned run in Wednesday's 6-5 10-inning win over Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Ichabod left-hander Mark Hoffman started and pitched 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing just one unearned run with two strikeouts.
The score remained 4-1 into the seventh inning before Antonio Avila hit a two-run homer to pull Fort Hays State pull within one and the Tigers tied the game with a two-out single.
Griffin Huiatt, the fourth of five pitchers used by Washburn, came on in the top of the eighth and tossed a scoreless inning.
Washburn loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but was unable to push the go-ahead run across.
Ichabod reliever Fidel Hatch pitched a scoreless ninth before Fort Hays state took advantage of a Washburn error to go up 5-4 in the top of the 10th.
A Tiger error with one out put the Ichabods in business in the bottom of the 10th and first baseman Jack Borgmann followed with a triple into the right-field corner that tied the game.
Littrell then blasted a ball to deep center that served as a walkoff ground-rule double to win the game.
"We hope this sparks us,'' Littrell said. "It feels really good. We had a team talk a couple of days ago and we talked about these moments and kind of coming together as a team and finding a way to win these games.
"It's these close games that we know we've got to win and today was just bonding together and finding a way.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Class 3A state champion Silver Lake and 2A state qualifier Rossville earned four of the five first-team spots on the All-Big East League girls basketball team.
Silver Lake, which captured its second 3A state title in three seasons Saturday in Hutchinson, put senior Kailyn Hanni and sophomore Karys Deiter on the All-Big East first team while Rossville, which dropped a tight 2A quarterfinal game to No. 1 seed Ellinwood, is represented by senior Rylee Dick and junior Nora Burdiek.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake
Karys Deiter, Silver Lake
Nora Burdiek, Rossville
Rylee Dick, Rossville
Silver Lake junior Savanah Wende was a first-team all-league selection.
ALL-BIG EAST LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL
First team
Nora Burdiek, jr., Rossville; Karys Deiter, so., Silver Lake; Rylee Dick, sr., Rossville; Kailyn Hanni, sr., Silver Lake; Kylie Nelson, jr., Hiawatha.
Second team
Macie Corcoran, jr., Perry-Lecompton; Emma Hermesch, jr., Nemaha Central; Audrey Holle, so., Riley County; Brenlee Koontz, fr., Jefferson West; KiWe Miller, so., Royal Valley.
Third team
Emmie Dean, so., Jefferson West; Addi Gutsch, fr., Riley County; Panno Wahwassuck, jr., Royal Valley; Savanah Wende, jr., Silver Lake; Michaela Williams, so., Hiawatha.
Honorable mention
Jadelynn Brees, jr., St. Marys; Rebekah Lassey, jr., Holton; Kennedy McKee, so., Nemaha Central;
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
State tournament qualifiers Rossville and Silver Lake combined to put three players on the All-Big East League boys basketball first team.
Jack Donovan, Rossville
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
Jakoby McDonnell, Rossville
Rossville, a Class 2A state qualifier for the second straight season, is represented on the first team by seniors Jack Donovan and Jakoby McDonnell, while Silver Lake, third in 3A the past two seasons, put senior Dayne Johnson on the all-league first team.
The Bulldawgs put senior Cameron Miller on the all-league second team while Silver Lake junior Camden Kruger was a third-team all-league pick.
ALL-BIG EAST LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL
First team
Ben DeVader, sr., St. Marys; Jack Donovan, sr., Rossville; Dayne Johnson, sr., Silver Lake; Jakoby McDonnell, sr., Rossville; Braylen Siebenmorgen, jr., Hiawatha.
Second team
Houston Habiger, jr., Perry-Lecompton; Micah Lang, jr., Sabetha; Cameron Miller, sr., Rossville; Ethan Morton, sr., Hiawatha; Kalem Schmelzle, jr., Nemaha Central.
Third team
Landon Gilbert, jr., Royal Valley; Jace Hurla, jr., St. Marys; Camden Kruger, jr., Silver Lake; Jason Payne, sr., Jefferson West; Brody Schwinn, jr., Jefferson West.
Honorable mention
Davis Carson, sr., Riley County; Korben Fox, sr., Holton; Easton Graves, jr., Perry-Lecompton; Dash Hackett, jr., Jefferson West; Michael Jensen, sr., Hiawatha; Lane Kesler, sr., Hiawatha; Colby Krein, sr., Perry-Lecompton; Cole Menold, sr., Sabetha; Trystan Murata, sr., Royal Valley; Zach Sommer, sr., St. Marys.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
City players earned four of the seven spots on the All-United Kansas Conference boys basketball first team, led by Seaman UKC player of the year KaeVon Bonner.
Seaman senior KaeVon Bonner was named the UKC player of the year while earning all-conference first-team honors for the third straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Bonner, a senior, led the Vikings to a third-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament, earning All-UKC first-team honors for the third straight season.
Malakyah Duncan, Topeka West
Keimani Paul, Topeka West
Cam Ross, Shawnee Heights
Bonner is joined on the first team by Topeka West seniors Malakyah Duncan and Keimani Paul and Shawnee Heights junior Cam Ross.
Duncan moved up to the first team after earning second-team recognition in 2025 while Paul received honorable mention a year ago.
Duncan and Paul helped lead Topeka West to a fourth-place finish in 5A while Ross helped Heights advance to the 5A state tournament for the third straight season.
Christian Ulsaker, Topeka West
Second-year Topeka West coach Christian Ulsaker was picked as the UKC coach of the year after his Chargers won the conference championship on a tiebreaker over Seaman.
Seaman senior Landon Wiltz, West junior Prince Lassiter and Heights freshman Quincy Dixon earned second-team honors while Viking senior Griffin Zuniga, T-Bird seniors Ja'Veon Alston, JaiMarion Cook and Aiden Scott and West senior Jay'Veon Traylor all earned honorable mention.
ALL-UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE BOYS BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four city players earned spots on the All-United Kansas Conference girls basketball first team, led by senior three-time first-team pick Maddie Gragg of Seaman and Shawnee Heights junior repeat honoree KK Emmot.
Maddie Gragg, Seaman
KK Emmot, Shawnee Heights
Pearmella Carter, Shawnee Heights
Sydney VanDyke, Topeka West
Also earning All-UKC first-team recognition were Shawnee Heights junior Pearmella Carter and Topeka West junior Sydney VanDyke. Carter was a first-team pick in her first season at Heights after previously being named the Meadowlark Conference player of the year at Highland Park while VanDyke received All-UKC honorable mention as a sophomore.
Bob Wells, Shawnee Heights
Shawnee Heights coach Bob Wells was named the UKC coach of the year after leading the T-Birds to the conference championship and a fourth-place finish in Class 5A in his final season before retiring.
Shawnee Heights senior Imani McGlory was a second-team All-UKC pick.
Seaman junior Cara Beaton and Brynn Spencer received all-conference honorable mention along with Shawnee Heights junior Sami Baum and senior Reianna Vega and Topeka West junior Patience Allen.
ALL-UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE GIRLS BASKETBALL
