LEADING OFF
» Washburn returns to action league play on Thursday when it takes on Pittsburg State. The Ichabods and Gorillas originally were scheduled to play games at Falley Field on Friday through Sunday, however due to potential concerns the series was shifted to Pittsburg. The two teams now will play a single game Thursday, Feb. 28 at 3 pm at Al Ortolani Field and complete the series on Friday, Mar. 1 with a 1 pm doubleheader.
A GLIMPSE AT PITTSBURG STATE
» The Gorillas are 7-5 on the year and 6-2 at Al Ortolani Field and are coming 2-1 series win over Southwest Baptist last weekend.
» The Pitt State offense is hitting .247 on the year with 78 runs on 96 hits, with 33 extra base hits (18 doubles, 14 homers, 1 triple). PSU also has 23 steals on 29 attempts. Defensively, the Gorillas are fielding at a .968-clip and have 15 errors thus far. The pitching staff boosts a 4.73 ERA in 104.2 innings with 69 runs, 55 earned, on 114 hits as opponents are hitting .275 on the year.
» Reece Garvie is a .400 hitter with 11 runs on 14 hits. Garvie is slugging a team-best .857 and has 13 RBI heading into the series. On mound, Brad Kinsey is 2-0 in four appearances with a 2.00 ERA.
» Pitt State is under the direction of Bob Fornelli who's in his first season with the program and is a 905-379 all-time in 22 seasons as a head coach.
YARD WORK
» Washburn began the season with a home run in four consecutive games and have since homered in six of nine games thus far.
» The Ichabods started last weekend at 31st in Division II in home run (10) and 34th overall in home runs per game with 1.11.
» Half of all Washburn home runs have come from the lead off spot.
» Brady Hoover is eighth among NCAA Division II leaders and first in the MIAA with four home runs.
» Wyatt Featherston's two home runs has him listed 86th nationally, and eighth among league leaders.
» On Feb. 8, Mark Wanner introduced him in style, notching a pinch-hit two-run home run in his first career at-bat at Southeastern Oklahoma.
» In the last four seasons, Washburn has homered 193 times, with each campaign ranking among the program's Top 10 single-season records including a 69 home run outburst in 2016 for second all-time.
DOUBLE PLAY BALL
» Washburn has turned 11 double plays, good for first in the MIAA and fourth-most in Division II.
» Washburn has twice turned a season-high three double plays, first at Southeastern Oklahoma (2/9) then versus Rockhurst (2/13).
» Since 2015, the Washburn defense has turned 164 double plays including a program-best 57 during the 2016 campaign.
#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 game s 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.
