Warm ups . . . 

• The Washburn Ichabods will step out of MIAA play on Wednesday returning home to take on Northern State in a non-conference doubleheader hosting the Wolves at 2 p.m. at the Washburn Softball Complex.

• The Ichabods will then travel to St. Joseph, Mo., to take part in the Missouri Western Regional Crossover with five games over three days all against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic teams.

• In all the Ichabods (11-5, 7-3 MIAA) will have seven games against NSIC teams this week.

• The Ichabods were 4-2 last week sweeping Texas A&M International before splitting MIAA doubleheader against No. 13-ranked Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.

 Knowing the foes . . . 

Wayne State

• The Wildcats are 9-5 entering weekend play.

• Washburn's doubleheader at Wayne State scheduled for March 18 has been postponed until April 16 in Wayne, Neb.

• It will be the home opener for the Wildcats are all 14 of their games have been at neutral sites or on the road.

• Washburn leads the all-time series with the Wildcats 14-9 and they split a doubleheader on March 14, 2013 in their last meeting.

Northern State

• The Wolves are 4-4 this season.

• The two teams are scheduled for three games this week as they will face off in St. Joseph as well in a single game.

• Washburn and Northern State have not played each other in the program's history.

Minnesota State

• The Mavericks are 10-6 this season and they are off until facing Washburn in St. Joseph.

• Washburn leads the series 10-5 but have lost the last two games. Washburn's last win came in a 6-5 victory on March 29, 2008.

Concordia St. Paul

• The Bears are 3-11 this season and have lost their last three games.

• The all-time series is tied 3-3 and the two programs have not met since March 21, 2008 with the Ichabods winning 7-4. 

• Washburn has won the last two in the series.

Augustana

• The Vikings are 13-2 this season and ranked No. 5 in the latest NFCA top 25 coaches poll.

• The Ichabods have won the last two in the series and trail the Vikings 10-6 all-time.

• The two teams have not met since a 9-1 Washburn win on March 14, 2009.

 WU Bod Notes . . . 

#2 • Alex Sweeney • Has appeared in seven games this season scoring two runs with two hits and an RBI.

#3 • Kristen Bell • Has nine assists and 32 putouts from her catcher's position.

#4 • Katie Schroeder • Tied a season-high with 3 RBI against Nebraska-Kearney.

#5 • Marina Quimby • Leads the team with a .500 batting average with 27 hits.

#6 • Kaylee Erickson • Has gone 2-1 with three complete games in seven starts.

#8 • Jordan Erickson • Third on the team with a .383 batting average with 18 hits in 47 at bats.

#9 • Haylee Marsteller • Batting .333 in 12 starts with 12 hits and 11 runs scored in 12 games played.

#10 • Deidra Jones • Second on the team with six home runs.

#11 • Samantha Carson • Her 20 RBI is second on the team and she has gone 4-1 in the circle with five complete games.

#13 • Skyler Gentry • Has appeared in five games making four starts this season.

#15 • Leah Garland • Has yet to appear in a game this season.

#16 • Lauren Thimmesch • Leads the team with 12 home runs (tying last season's total) … 5-1 in the circle with 18 strikeouts and eight walks.

#21 • Bre Hixon • Four of her nine hits have been for home runs while driving in 16.

#22 • Shelby Erickson • Second on the team with a .407 batting average with 24 hits and 15 runs scored.

 What's in a name . . . 

• Starting the 2013-14 school year, all of the women's athletic teams will be called Ichabods.

• All women's teams prior to the 2013-14 school year can and will be referenced to as Lady Blues.

• Name change was made to have a unified athletic department and to have a graphical representation of the sports teams at Washburn.

• 'Bods is allowable on second reference

• Lady Ichabods or Lady 'Bods should never be used.

 Last time out for Washburn . . . 

KEARNEY, Neb. -- The Washburn Ichabod and Nebraska-Kearney softball teams combined for 51 runs and 57 hits splitting an MIAA doubleheader as Washburn (11-5, 7-3 MIAA) won the opener 10-9 before falling in the second game 17-15. Washburn will travel to Wayne State for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday.

Game 1 - WU 10, UNK 9

In the opener, Washburn took a 2-0 lead after its first at bat on a 2-run homer by Samantha Carson, but the Lopers came back with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Washburn came back and tied the score in its second at bat of the day with two in the second on a sac fly by Bre Hixon and an RBI single by Katie Schroeder. The Lopers would then take a 9-4 lead after three innings before the Ichabods started their comeback. Washburn scored two in the fourth and then add four unearned runs in the sixth to take a 10-9 lead. Washburn had a 2 RBI double by Schroeder and an RBI single by Carson followed by an RBI double by Deidra Jones sending Carson home with the winning run. Lauren Thimmesch allowed a lead off double by the Lopers but retired the side with two strikeouts and a pop out to improve to 5-1 on the season pitching five innings striking out four for the win. Schroeder and Carson each drove in three while Schroeder had three hits and Carson, Thimmesch, Haylee Marsteller and Jordan Erickson each had two hits. Washburn and UNK each had 13 hits in the game.

Game 2 - UNK 17, WU 15

Washburn scored a run in its first at bat on an RBI single by Shelby Erickson and then the Lopers regained the lead with two in the bottom of the first and then they exploded for 10 runs in the second inning sending 13 batters to the plate. Washburn cut the lead to 12 to 5 after scoring four in the third inning on a 3-run homer by Thimmesch. Marsteller drove in another run as Washburn sent 10 to the plate. Washburn then added a solo run in the fourth on a solo home run by Jones. The Ichabods then added six in the fifth inning with a three-run homer by Hixon, an RBI double by Jordan Erickson and a 2 RBI singly by Shelby Erickson which tied the score at 12 through 4 1/2 innings. The Lopers retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Washburn came back and tied the score at 15 after Hixon's second 3-run homer of the game. Washburn was held scoreless in the seventh and the Lopers won it with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh giving UNK the split. Hixon finished the game with 6 RBI with the two three-run homers. Thimmesch and Shelby Erickson each had thee RBI in the game as the teams combined for 31 hits and 32 runs. 

Jordan Erickson led the team on the day with a .571 batting average going 4 for 7 while Carson was 5 for 9 with 3 RBI. Hixon finished with 7 RBI and two home runs.

 Ichabod head coach Vanessa Becerra . . . 

• was named the Washburn Ichabod head softball coach on Aug. 3, 2011 after spending four seasons at Metro State in Denver, Colo., with the final season coming as the head coach. 

• is 43-62 in her third season on the bench at Washburn and overall Becerra has recorded a 77-80 mark in her fourth year as a head coach.

• in her lone season as the head coach at Metro State, Becerra led the Roadrunners the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season championship while advancing to the NCAA regional tournament for the third-straight season finishing with a 34-18 record. 

• has coached six Ichabods to all-MIAA honors.

• has had 25 Ichabods named to the MIAA's Academic Honor Roll.

 Ichabod softball history. . . 

• The Ichabods are 1058-769-1 in their 45th year of softball. 

• The Ichabods have made three NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2006, 2008). 

• Washburn won the 2002 regular season MIAA title.

 Up next . . . 

• Washburn will take on Emporia State in a MIAA doubleheader on March 28 and then face the Hornets in Topeka in a non-conference doubleheader the following day.