LEADING OFF
• Washburn baseball closes its road schedule on Wednesday as it faces rival Emporia State.  
• The Ichabods lead the series 2-0.
• First-pitch from Trusler Sports Complex is slated for 5 pm.

WHERE TO FOLLOW
• Fans can fellow every pitch of the 2018 season via live stats available by visiting wusports.com/live or the team's schedule page ... for occasional in-game updates, news and more be sure to follow Washburn Athletics on Twitter (@wusports) and Facebook ... fans should also be on the look out for all new baseball/softball coaches' show featuring head coach Harley Douglas.

ICHABOD NOTABLES
• At the plate, the Washburn hitters have combined for 75 doubles, 38 home runs, 217 RBI and have 379 hits during 1441 at-bats.
• Since Apr. 11, Washburn's team batting average against MIAA opponents has risen 15 points from .248 to .263. 
• The Ichabods' 66 steals this season has them listed 52nd in Division II and fifth in the MIAA. 
• On the mound, the WU pitching staff has a collective 6.00 ERA with 283 strikeouts and is tied for first in the MIAA with three shutout victories.
• The Ichabod defense is second in the MIAA caught stolen bases (26), while ranking third in double plays turned (34) and assists (464) ... they're also listed 35th in Division II in double play.
• Josh Crosby is among the MIAA's top 10 offense players this season as he's third in doubles (18) and home runs (13), fifth in slugging .655 and sixth in RBI (42).
• Crosby's bat has been red hot as he's notched an extra base hit in seven of the last eight games including home runs in five of the last six while watching raising his average (.304) by more than 50 points over the last month. 
• With 18 stolen bases this season, Javis Larson is among the MIAA leaders as he tied for third ...  
• Since becoming an everyday starter behind the plate, catcher Steven Jacobson has seen his batting average climb from .259 to a team-best .323 over the span of 25 games.  
• Josh Ramirez is among the top 10 arms in the MIAA in terms of ERA (9th/3.89) and innings pitched (9th/71.2), while his .263 opponent batting average is 16th-overall.

THE SKIPPER
• Harley Douglas is in his fourth season as the Ichabods' head coach.
• Douglas' career record to begin the year was 88-68.
• Douglas notched his 100th career victory on Apr. 15 with a 12-11 win over Nebraska-Kearney.
• Lead Washburn to consecutive (2015 & 2016) 30-wins seasons for the first time nearly three decades.
• Coached Miami Marlins' draft pick David Gauntt (2016, Rd. 18)
• Had the MIAA Pitcher and Player of the Year in 2016.
• Douglas is the first former Ichabod baseball player to be named head coach of the program ... he played under predecessor Steve Anson from 1997-2000.
• Set the single-season hits record in 2000 (88) en route to earning MIAA honors.
• Former member of the New York Mets minor league system. 

SCOUTING EMPORIA STATE
• The Hornets are 23-19 on the year and 14-15 in the MIAA.
• ESU is 8th in the MIAA standings with Lindenwood (14-16) hot on its heels for the last spot in the conference tournament.
• ESU is 15-7 this season when playing at home. 
• Bryce Fisher is the team leader in batting average (.417), hits (68), doubles (15), home runs (12), RBI (55), slugging% (.742), and on-base% (.508).
• Among the MIAA, the Hornet offense is fifth in average (.292) and runs scored (299), seventh in hits (420), 11th in home runs (30), eighth in slugging (.422), third in walks (196), and shares fourth in steals (66). 
• Seth Holman leads the rotation with a 3.97 ERA while pacing the entire pitching staff in innings pitched (79.0) and strikeouts (84).
• Tanner Cairns leads all ESU arms with a 7-1 record with 12 starts though has an ERA of 5.17.
• Relievers Mason Leclair and Nathan Gieber each have three saves on the season ... Leclair has nine appearances and a 1.42 ERA, while Gieber's ERA is 3.76 with 19 appearances.
• As a unit, ESU pitchers rank 10th in the MIAA in ERA (5.38), seventh in innings pitched (368.0), third most hits against (458), ninth in strikeouts (325) and have the second-highest opponent batting average (.305).

SERIES HISTORY
• Since 1949, Washburn has faced Emporia State 232 times, and trail the series 75-157.
• The Ichabods lead the 2018 season series 2-0 with a 9-1 victory at Glennen Field in Emporia (Mar. 28) before collecting an 8-7 win at Falley Field (Apr. 11).
• If WU wins the Wednesday it would be the first time since 2014 it has swept Emporia State and fourth time in the series history with three or more game played (1963, 2000, 2014).

FALLEY FIELD
• The 2018 season marks the 29th season the Ichabods have called Falley Field home since it first opened prior to the 1990 campaign.
• Entering the year, the Ichabods are 370-262 (.591) at Falley Field.

PRO 'BODS UPDATE
• Former Washburn hurler Brett Ash (2010-12, 14) continues his baseball career as a member of the Seattle Mariners' organization ... Ash is currently participating in extended spring training but is set to join Double-A affiliate, Arkansas Travelers.
• Former Ichabod slugger Riley Krane (2014-17) returns to action with the Windy City Thunder Bolts in 2018 ... Krane signed with the Frontier League club in 2017 and batted .321 with 22 runs, 15 extra base hits and 26 RBI in 42 appearances. The season opener for Krane and the Thunder Bolts is May 10.

WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
• The Washburn baseball program began in 1947.
• There was no Ichabod baseball from 1951-56 ... the program returned in 1957 under the direction of Marion McDonald. 
• In 1985, head coach Steve Anson recorded the program's first 30-win season as went 33-20.
• Washburn baseball has been home to many talented alumni with some being able to take their talents to the Majors ... to date, their have been six former Ichabods who have played a regular-season or playoff game for an MLB club including George Darrow, Rick DeHart, Jerad Head, Davey Lopes, Jerry Robertson and Steve Simpson.
• Six Ichabods have been chosen in the MLB Amateur Draft with catcher David Gauntt being selected most recently (Miami Marlins, 2016, Rd. 18).