Ichabods wrap up regular season with Griffons and Bearcats starting Thursday ...
•    The Washburn Ichabod softball team will wrap up the regular season with a pair of road twinbills starting on Thursday at Missouri Western and then wrap up the regular season on Sunday at Northwest Missouri.
•    Saturday's scheduled doubleheader with Northwest Missouri has been moved to Sunday starting at 1 p.m., in Maryville, Mo.
•    The Ichabods are coming off a 2-2 week splitting doubleheaders at Wayne State and Central Oklahoma.
•    The Ichabods currently sit in a three-way tie for fifth in the conference standings with Northwest Missouri  and Emporia State with 13-9 records. Missouri Western is in a tie for second, one game behind Cenral Missouri. The top eight teams in the final MIAA standings qualify for the conference tournament starting April 30 in Kansas City.

 Warm ups . . . 
•    Against Central Oklahoma last weekend the Ichabods broke the Washburn single-season home run record hitting its 62nd home run of the season breaking the previous record of 57 hit in 2014.
•    The Ichabods are 3-2 in the last five games and have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games …Washburn is 26-19 overall this year and 13-9 in MIAA play having already improved on its 2014 win total of 20.
•    Lauren Thimmesch has 40 career home runs in her third season at Washburn which ranks third on the all-time Ichabod chart … she needs three more to move into second place all-time at Washburn … she also scored her 102 career run last weekend putting her in a tie for ninth all-time at Washburn.
•    Marina Quimby is batting a team-high .396 also leading the team with 61 hits and her 38 runs scored is second on the team … she needs four hits to move into the top 10 on the Ichabod single season hit chart.
•    Cassidy Merriman is second on the team with a .376 batting average and she is tied for second on the team with 10 home runs and leads the team with 45 runs scored … her 45 runs scored is tied for fifth on the Ichabod single season chart … her 30 RBI is fourth on the team … her .674 slugging percentage is third in the MIAA. 
•    Lauren Thimmesch has the second-best ERA in the MIAA entering this week's action with a 2.06 ERA and her 19 wins are second in the MIAA … her 13 home runs leads the Ichabods … her 19 pitching wins are the most by an Ichabod pitcher since the 1999 season when Kathy Mohler recorded 19 … the 19 wins are tied for seventh overall on the Ichabod single season chart. 
•    The Ichabods are outscoring their opponents 56-36 in the first inning and 45-16 in the third inning and 39-16 in the fifth inning of games this season … in the second inning the Ichabods are being outscored 39-26 and in the seventh inning the Ichabods are being outscored 18-16.
•    The Ichabods are third in the MIAA in hitting with a .319 batting average as a team and they are seventh in the MIAA with a 3.53 ERA.

 Noting Missouri Western . . . 
•    The Griffons are 32-14 overall and 16-6 in the MIAA and received votes in this week's NFCA top 25 poll.
•    Tiffany Gillaspy leads the team with a .384 batting aveage with 14 home runs and 45 RBI.
•    Janie Smith is 16-7 with a 2.72 ERA ad Shyanne Saladino is 16-6 with a 2.87 ERA in the circle.
•    The Ichabods lead the all-time series 46-40 after sweeping a doubleheader in Topeka last season.

 Last meeting with Missouri Western . . . 
March 7, 2014 -- TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod softball team picked up its first sweep over Missouri Western since the 2002 season winning game one 7-4 before taking the nightcap 2-1. 
Game 1 - WU 7, MWSU 4 (8 innings)
Washburn's Bre Hixon hit a two-out walkoff grandslam in the bottom of the eighth to win the game. Washburn trailed 3-0 after the Griffons scored one in the third and two more in the fourth before cutting the lead to 3-2 after scoring two in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Deidra Jones and an RBI single by Marina Quimby. The Ichabods tied the score on a home run by Samantha Carson leading off the fifth inning. The Griffons took the lead in the eighth setting up Washburn's walkoff win in the bottom of the eighth. Lauren Thimmesch picked up the win in relief tossing 4 1/3 innings improving to 2-1 this season. Quimny finished with two hits as each team had nine in the game.
Game 2 - WU 2, MWSU 1
An uneared run in the bottom of the fourth pushed the Ichabods to the sweep in the 2-1 win. Katie Schroeder scored after an error by the Griffons breaking the 1-1 tie. Carson held Missouri Western to one hit over the final three innnings to improve to 2-0 on the season scattering four hits striking out one. Washburn took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Quimby singled to left scoring Carson who reached on a fielder's choice. Thimmesch finished with two hits as did Quimby in the nightcap as the Ichabods finished with nine hits.

 Noting Northwest Missouri . . . 
•    The Bearcats are 21-21 overall and 13-9 in MIAA play.
•    Stephanie Mark leads the team with a .413 batting average with 11 home runs and 41 RBI.
•    Sarah Baldwin leads the team with nine wins in the circle and has an ERA of 3.30.
•    Washburn leads the all-time series with the Bearcats 51-30 after sweeping a doubleheader las season.

 Last meeting with Northwest Missouri . . . 
(March 8, 2014) TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod softball team won its fifth-straight game sweeping a doubleheader with Northwest Missouri.
Game 1 - WU 7, NWMSU 6
Samantha Carson's single in the bottom of the seventh scored Jordan Erickson to push Washburn to the 7-6 win over the Bearcats. Washburn took a 2-0 lead in its first at bat on Lauren Thimmesch's sixth home run of the season scoring Carson. The Ichabods added two more in the bottom of the second on a 2 RBI single by Carson. The Bearcats came back with five in the top of the third taking the 5-2 lead. Washburn took back the lead after a home run by Jordan Erickson. The Ichabods added another in the frame on an RBI single by Shelby Erickson. The Bearcats tied the score at 6-6 in the top of the sixth, but Washburn picked up the winner in the bottom of the frame on Carson's winner. Carson drove in three in the game with two hits and Thimmesch drove in two. She also picked up the win in relief throwing 4 2/3 innings striking out six improving to 3-1 this season. Washburn finished with 10 hits overall and the Bearcats had 13.
Game 2 - WU 11, NWMSU 4
After the Bearcats scored three of their four runs off Washburn errors, the Ichabods came back to tied the game with four of their own capped by a 3-run homer by Jordan Erickson. The Ichabods added one in the fourth on a sac fly by Katie Schroeder and then in the fifth the Ichabods added two more on back-to-back home runs by Lauren Thimmesch and Deidra Jones. Washburn pushed across four more in the sixth inning when Marina Quimby homered scoring Shelby Erickson and then Thimmesch hit her second home run of the game driving in Carson who doubled in the inning. Carson picked up the complete-game win striking out four allowing one earned run improving to 3-0 on the season. The Ichabods tied a single-game Washburn record with six home runs in the game.
In the doubleheader Shelby Erickson was 4 for 8 with 2 RBI while Lauren Thimmesch had 5 RBI with three home runs.

 WU Bod Notes . . . 
#1 • Courtney Todd • IF/OF • Fr. • Has played in one game this season.
#2 • Alex Sweeney • OF • So. • Has scored five times making one start appearing in 11 games.
#3 • Kristen Bell • C • Jr. • Needs eight hits for 100 in her Washburn career.
#4 • Megan Stegman • C/UT • So. • Has seven multi-hit games this season and four multi-RBI games.
#5 • Marina Quimby • P/IF • Jr. • Riding a six game hitting streak entering the doubleheader with Missouri Western.
#6 • Brianna White • IF • Fr. • Has not appeared in any games this season.
#7 • Savannah Moore • 3B • Fr. • Has three multi-RBI games this season.
#8 • Jordan Erickson • OF • So. • Her 33 RBI is third on the team this season.
#9 • Haylee Marsteller • OF • Jr. • Riding a five game hitting streak, which is her longest of the season.
#10 • Kimberly Euler • P/OF • Fr. • Picked up her first collegiate win against Missouri Southern on March 21 pitching four innings in the combined shutout.
#11 • Samantha Carson • P/IF • So. • Recorded her first career save against Missouri Southern on March 21 pitching three innings allowing one hit striking out four.
#14 • Taylor Kemp • P • Jr. • Pitched 5-inning shutout against Nebraska-Kearney in an 8-0 win scattering four hits.
#15 • Berkley White • C • Fr. • Has not appeared in any games this season.
#16 • Lauren Thimmesch • P/IF • Sr. • Has reached base in each of the last 14 games.
#17 • Cassidy Merriman • 3B/SS • Fr. • Batting .446 in MIAA play this season which leads the team collecting 33 hits and 11 RBI.
#18 • Maddie Abbs • IF/OF • Fr. • Has two assists and seven putouts this season in 10 games.
#20 • Taylor Zimmerman • IF • Jr. • Her 5 RBI against UCO in the first game was one shy of her career high of six aganst Newman on Feb. 15.
#21 • Lindsey Marcus • IF/P • Fr. • Has made six pitching appearance this season allowing five earned runs.
#22 • Sierra Kemp • IF • Jr. • Has 14 hits and 6 RBI in 56 at bats this season.

 Last time out for the Ichabods . . . 
(April 18, 2015) EDMOND, Okla. -- The Washburn Ichabods drew an MIAA doubleheader sweep at Central Oklahoma working overtime in the first game taking a 14-5 win in nine innings before falling the nightcap 6-1. 
Game 1 - WU 14, UCO 5 (9 innings)
The Ichabods exploded for nine runs in the ninth inning sending 12 batters to the plate earning a come-from-behind 14-5 win over the Bronchos. In the ninth inninng, Kristen Bell led off with a single to center and Taylor Zimmerman recorded a single of her own. After Sierra Kemp was hit by a pitch loading the bases, Megan Stegman recorded a 2-RBI single.
Marina Quimby reached on an error and Cassidy Merriman's single through the left side drove in Stegman. Jordan Erickson came to bat and her single to left scored Merriman. WIth two outs, Bell was hit by a pitch and Zimmerman's 3-run homer to left cleared the bases putting Washburn up 14-5. 
Lauren Thimmesch put the Bronchos down in order picking up her 19th win of the season as she pitched all nine innings allowing only one earned run giving up eight hits in the win. Her 19 wins are the most by an Ichabod pitcher since Kelly Swygert recorded 20 in 2006.
The Ichabods were down 4-0 before Thimmesch recorded her 13th home run of the season with a three-run shot scoring Quimby, who doubled and Stegman who walked in the inning. 
The Bronchos would go up 5-3 with a solo run in the fourth, but Washburn tied the score with a 2-RBI single by Zimmerman scoring Haylee Marsteller and Bell. Neither team would score in the sixth, seventh or eighth innings setting up Washburn's nine-spot in the ninth.
Quimby and Zimmerman each finished with three hits and Zimmerman drove in five in the game and Thimmesch finished with 3 RBI. Stegman had two with both coming in the ninth inning.
Quimby, Thimmesch and Erickson each tied an Ichabod record with six at bats in the game before the 24th, 25th and 26th Washburn softball players to have six at bats in a game.
Game 2 - UCO 6, WU 1
Washburn (26-19, 13-9 MIAA) was held scoreless by UCO starting pitcher Kelsey Berlin until a home run by Marsteller in the seventh inning as she allowed five hits and recorded five strikeouts in the win for the Bronchos (33-14, 14-6 MIAA) gaining the split.
UCO scored one in the first inning and broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning going up 6-0.
Marsteller finished with two of the Ichabods' five hits in the game. Taylor Kemp (2-6) took the loss in the circle giving up nine hits and striking out two.
In the twinbill, Marsteller and Quimby each had four hits and Merriman, Zimmerman and Thimmesch each had three while Quimby also added three doubles. Zimmerman finished with 5 RBI and Thimmesch had three.

 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 78-99 in her fourth season on the bench at Washburn and overall Becerra has recorded a 112-117 mark in her fifth 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 12 Ichabods to all-MIAA honors.
• has had 38 Ichabods named to the MIAA's Academic Honor Roll.

 Ichabod softball history. . . 
• The Ichabods are 1092-805-1 in their 46th year of softball. 
• The Ichabods have made three NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2006, 2008). 
• Washburn won the 2002 regular season MIAA title.

 Up next . . . 
•    The MIAA Tournament begins on April 30 for the top eight teams in the final regular season standings. Check wusports.com for tournament updates and seedings.