LEADING OFF
• Washburn baseball resumes its series with Fort Hays State on Wednesday before returning to home for a three-game set with Missouri Southern.
• The mid-week tilt will see the Ichabods going to Hays for a 3 pm first pitch.
• The series with MSSU at Falley Field is currently schedule for Friday-Sunday, though the potential of rain, snow and cold temps in the forecast may cause a shift in the series. For updates or alternations to the series, be sure to follow the Washburn Athletics on Twitter (@wusports) or by checking the Ichabod baseball schedule on wusports.com.
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
• Josh Crosby is the team leader in average (.303), hits (37), home runs (8) and RBI (27) ... Crosby has 11 multi-hit games this season and eight games with two RBI or more.
• Crosby is among the top 10 in the MIAA leaders in doubles (t-5, 12) and home runs (t-7th).
• Against the MIAA, Javis Larson is batting a team-best .321 with 25 hits in 78 trips to the plate ... as of Mar. 29, Larson was listed among the top 35 in Division II in stolen bases (35th, 14).
• Bowe Behymer is hitting .271 against MIAA opponents with 19 hits in 70 at-bats including six extra base knocks ... Behymer has a team-best 13 walks when facing MIAA pitching.
• Collectively, WU is hitting .251 on the year, and .244 against MIAA.
• Since March 19, the Ichabods are batting .304 and have outscored opponents, 70 to 67.
• The Washburn pitching staff has a collective 5.71 ERA this season while having worked 263.0 innings.
• The Ichabod staff has a conference best three shutout wins.
• Josh Ramirez is third in the MIAA in innings pitched (55.0), fourth among league leaders in ERA (2.45) and is 10th in opponent batting average (.238) ... Ramirez is also tied for third on Division II charts with nine game started.
• Defensively, the Ichabods are second in the MIAA in double plays turned (28).
THE SKIPPER
• Harley Douglas is in his fourth season as the Ichabods' head coach.
• Douglas' career record to begin the year was 88-68.
• 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 FORT HAYS STATE
• The Tigers are 12-21 on the year, 4-16 in the MIAA.
• FHSU is 4-9 this season when playing at home.
• The Tigers lost their series to Emporia State but walk away with a 7-4 win in the series finale.
• Addison Kaasch is batting a team-best .363 while Ryan Grasser is hitting .303.
• Dayton Pomeroy has a team-high 35 RBI and 11 home runs.
• Ryan Ruder leads the pitching staff in wins (3), innings pitched (43.0) and ERA (6.49).
• Collectively, the FHSU pitchers have a 8.14 ERA with 307 runs on 382 hits and 41 home runs against.
SCOUTING MISSOURI SOUTHERN
• The Lions entered the week at 7-10 in the MIAA and 19-12 overall.
• MSSU is 2-3 in its last five outings, including a series swept at the hands of Missouri Western.
• Cory Canterbury is the team leader in average (.386), OBP (.482) and doubles (12).
• On the mound, the Lions are led by Zac Shoemaker and Corbin Osburn
• Shoemaker is among the pitchers in the MIAA in ERA (3rd, 2.42), 7th in opposing batting average (.236), while allowing the second-fewest walks (8).
• Osburn is 9th in the MIAA in ERA (3.25) and 5th in strikeouts (61).
• This is the first season as member of the MSSU coaching for former Ichabod slugger Landon Hay.
SERIES HISTORY
• The midweek tilt will be the second of three meetings this season between the Ichabods and Tigers.
• Washburn leads the season series with FHSU, 1-0, after a 16-0 win on March 20, but trails the all-time series 76-101.
• Since 1989, Washburn and Missouri Southern have met 87 times, with the Ichabods trailing the series 36-51.
• Since joining the MSSU coaching staff, former Ichabod catcher Landon Hay is winless when facing his former team.
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, who's second in program-history in strikeouts (199), is set to begin his second season with the Mariners' Double-A affiliate, Arkansas Travelers.
• Former Ichabod backstop David Gauntt (2013-16) continues his professional career in 2018 as a member of the Miami Marlins' organization ... in 2017, Gauntt spent the season with Short-A affiliate, Batavia Muckdogs.
• 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).
