THE SETUP -- Washburn baseball continues its road show this weekend with a four-game series against Drury in Springfield, Missouri ... the series will begin on Friday with a 3:30 p.m. first pitch then followed with a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday ... this is the first meeting between WU and DU since the 2012 season ... the Ichabods trail the all-time series 9-4 ... Washburn looks to extends its four-game win streak while Drury seeks to open its season on a positive note.
DU SCOUTING REPORT -- Drury is led by fifth-year head coach Scott Nasby ... In 2016, Drury went through their first losing season in the program's 10-year history as they went 16-34 and 7-21 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference ... The Panthers have several new faces including three NCAA Div. I transfers while also welcoming back 22 returners.
LOOKING AT THE 'BODS -- After posting its second straight 30-win season in nearly three decades Washburn has its eyes set on returning to the MIAA Championships and a berth in NCAA tournament play. Third-year skipper Harley Douglas returners 12 seniors from a season ago while welcoming 22 new faces to the lineup.
PITCHING HONORS -- Senior right-hander Nick Silva enters the weekend's slate as the MIAA Pitcher of the Week ... Silva earned the weekly honor after 7.2 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, four walks while allowing just one hit which broke up his no-hitter in the eighth ... WU went on to a 5-2 win over SAU last Friday.
KRANE IS EN FUEGO -- Through the first seven games of the season senior shortstop Riley Krane has enjoyed a hot start to the season at the plate driving home a conference-best 17 runs ... Krane is hitting .393 in 28 at-bats and already has two triples, a home run with just three strikeouts this season.
ROAD WARRIORS -- The Ichabods close their season opening road swing this weekend following a trip to Springfield, Mo. ... after the first two weekends of the season WU has already logged approximately 2,130 miles traveling to and from games and will inflate to about 2,736 miles after this weekend ... before returning home the WU will have played 11 games in three states, against six different opponents.
WHERE THEY RANK -- Behind one first-place vote, the Ichabods open the season ranked fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll ... WU placed eighth in the NCBWA's Division II Preseason Regional Rankings ... the only recognition the team earned nationally was from Collegiate Baseball News where they were listed in the receiving votes category.
PRESEASON HARDWARE -- Nick Silva has headlined the list of early awards for the Ichabods this season ... early honors for Silva include an ABCA Division II Preseason All-America nod as well as a Division II All-Central Region First Team selection from the NCBWA ... senior shortstop Riley Krane was placed on the ABCA Division II Players to Watch list ... sophomore outfielder Curtis Whitten was amongst those listed as a Division II Newcomer to Watch by the ABCA.
2016 REVIEW -- In 2016, Washburn added two more wins to its overall record from the season before to finish 34-20 with a 26-13 mark in conference play. After going 14-12 in the first half of the year, the Ichabods hit their its stride as they rattled off 20 wins during its final 28 games including a 15-1 stretch from March 30- April 24. At the conclusion of the season, eight Ichabods received All-MIAA accolades. The selections were headlined by David Gauntt and Nick Silva who not only were placed on the first team, but were named MIAA Player and Pitcher of the Year respectively. Kyle Carnahan also landed first team honors, while Riley Krane and Parker Gibson were third team selections. Greg Mason, Jaren Kutzke and Lance Barkley were each named honorable mentions. Silva went on to garner numerous all-region team accolades. Gauntt meanwhile earned All-America honors from D2CCA and NCBWA before being selected in the MLB Amatuer Draft (Rd. 18, Pick 533) by the Miami Marlins.
SENIOR STAFF -- Right-hander Nick Silva will headline a senior-laden pitching staff. Silva took the conference by storm in 2016 as he put together a 9-0 record with a 2.64 ERA en route to earning numerous postseason accolades including MIAA Pitcher of the Year honors. Lance Barkley and Jaren Kutzke will complete the starting rotation as they make the transition from the bullpen. Also in the mix early will be the younger arms of Jacob Head and Josh Ramirez. From the bullpen, Douglas will rely on the experience of seniors Maustin Otterstatter, Quentin McGrath and Ryne Dowling while NCAA D1 transfer Marcus McKinney is slated as the go-to closer to start.
NEW FACES -- Washburn welcomes 22 new players this season which includes transfers and redshirt freshman ... headlining the crop of newcomers are outfielders Curtis Whitten, Blake Tomasino and Darian Abram, infielders Brett Nickle, Gabe Franklin and Dylan Lonteen and pitchers Marcus McKinney and Wally Nellor.
WHERE THEY FROM -- The 2017 baseball team is comprised of 41 members hailing from 12 states. There are 22 players from Kansas, five from Colorado, four from Missouri, two from Illinois and one each representative from California, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.
