LEADING OFF
» Washburn heads south for the season opening weekend as it visits Magnolia and Southern Arkansas for a three-game set beginning Friday.
» This is the fourth consecutive season the Ichabods and Muleriders have squared off during the opening weekend of play, with the previous three meetings in Grand Prairie, Texas for the Air Hogs Classic.
» The series with SAU kicks off a 10-game road swing for the Ichabods plus a three-game neutral set as they take part in the GLVC/MIAA Challenge in Joplin, Mo.
HOW TO FOLLOW
» Every pitch of the 2019 season is available via live stats by visiting wusports.com/live or the Washburn baseball schedule page. Live video streaming will be available for all home games this season with links for away dates made available on a game-by-game basis.
» Fans should also be on the look out for the baseball/softball coaches' show featuring head coach Harley Douglas.
» For the latest updates follow @IchabodBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Washburn Ichabod Baseball. General athletic news is available on Twitter (@wusports) and online at wusports.com.
NEW FACES
» Washburn brings in 19 new faces for 2019 with 11 transfers and eight true freshman. Of the 11 transfers, there are 10 juniors and one senior.
» The transfers include one catcher, three are infielders and three outfielders with pitching making up the balance.
» Juniors Braden Minor (RHP) and Wyatt Featherston (OF) as well senior infielder Lane Harvey each come to Topeka with Division I experience. Minor and Featherston spent their freshman season at Oklahoma and Western Kentucky while Harvey was at Morehead State last season.
LOOK WHO'S BACK, BACK AGAIN
» The Ichabods feature 22 returners headlined by 2018 All-MIAA picks Javis Larson and Josh Ramirez.
» Washburn will have 10 seniors, six juniors and five sophomores.
THEY GOT HISTORY
» Since 2016, Washsburn has faced Southern Arkansas six times.
» The all-time series is tied, 3-3, with SAU claiming a 7-6 victory in 2018.
» Washburn is 1-0 when facing the Muleriders in Magnolia, which was a 13-5 decision on Feb 14, 2016.
PREVIEWING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
» Southern Arkansas were tabbed first in the GAC Preseason poll and No. 13 in the NCBWA preseason rankings.
» The Muleriders are coming off a 41-19 season in 2018, which included an appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament finals and a GAC Tournament crown.
» SAU is led by NCBWA preseason all-region infield selection Austin Barker and outfielder Dakota Wright.
» In 2018, Baker had a team-bests in runs (63) and steals (18) as he hit .340 with 31 RBI.
» Last season, Wright paced SAU in slugging (.584) and home runs (13) as he hit .308 with 55 runs and 62 RBI.
» The Muleriders are led by Justin Pettigrew, now in his third-season with the program, with a combined 80-35 mark.
WASHBURN VS THE GREAT AMERICAN CONFERENCE
» The Ichabods enter the weekend have faced GAC opposition 16 times since the start of the 2015 season and is 11-5 all-time.
» Since 2015, Washburn is a perfect 2-0 against Arkansas-Monticello and East Central while improving 4-2 after the taking the season series in 2018 against Southeastern Oklahoma.
» After facing Arkansas Tech for the first-time ever last season, the Ichabods still have face yet to face Harding, Henderon, Ouachita Baptist, Northwestern Oklahoma, Southern Nazarene and Southwestern Oklahoma.
RAM TOUGH
» Starter Josh Ramirez headlines the 2019 rotation after earning an All-MIAA honorable mention nod in 2018.
» Had 2-3 record in 13 appearances and posted a career-best 58 strikeouts last season.
» Ramirez starts the year among the top 30 in program history in strikeouts (t-26th/108) and innings pitched (20th/146.1) and is in reach with lowest ERA (37th/5.29).
» Averaging 36 strikeouts and 48.2 innings in his first three season, Ramirez could potential finish the season among the Top 15 in each category.
HEAD STRONG
» After missing nearly two full seasons, left-hander Jacob Head returns to the mound in 2019.
» Head is a career 6-3 in 20 appearances with a 5.21 ERA.
» Before having his season shortened in 2017, Head was 4-2 in eight starts with a 3.86 ERA.
SPEED DEMONS
» Washburn was fifth in the MIAA last season in steals (70) and attempted steals (94).
» Javis Larson was fourth in the MIAA with a team-best 18 steals.
» Jake Hahn is the second leading returner in steals with nine.
» Washburn has been among the MIAA top five in steal since 2015.
MIAA TIDBITS
» Washburn was tabbed 10th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
» Tournament champion Central Missouri topped the preseason rankings with six first-place votes and 115 points.
» Regular Season co-champion Central Oklahoma was picked second while Northwest Missouri was tied at seventh.
» Last season the MIAA was represented by four teams in the Division II Central Region Tournament.
» The 2019 campaign will be the final season for Southwest Baptist and Lindenwood as both will join the GLVC for the 2019-20 year.
#PROBODS UPDATE
» Former Ichabod slugger Riley Krane (2014-17) is set for his second full season in the Frontier League in 2019 when he suits for the Joliet Slammers. Krane is hitting a .248 for his career with eight dingers, 52 RBI in 123 games played.
» Former Washburn hurler Brett Ash announced his retirement from professional baseball. Ash played four seasons as a member of the Seattle Mariners farm system. He was a career 30-27 in the minors with a 4.94 ERA. In 2016, he helped the Jackson Generals (AA) to a Southern League crown as he went 12-8 on the year.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
» The Washburn baseball program began in 1947 and played every season since with the exception of 1951-56, returning 1957 under the direction of head coach Marion McDonald.
» In 1985, head coach Steve Anson recorded the program's first 30-win season as the Ichabods 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).
