Leading off . . .
>  The Washburn Ichabod softball team will play six games against the Northern Sun at the Emporia State Regional Crossover after flooding around St. Joseph has altered the schedule of the Missouri Western Regional Crossover this weekend.
>  The Ichabods will open play on March 21 starting with Upper Iowa … Washburn and UIU split a doubleheader in Conway, Ark., on Feb. 18 winning the first game 9-2 and falling in the second game 5-6.
>  The Ichabods will also face Minnesota State on Saturday this week … the Ichabods topped Minnesota State 6-3 on Feb. 16.
>  The Ichabods are 5-1 in MIAA play, will return to conference action on March 29-30 against Missouri Southern and Pittbsurg State in doubleheaders, scheduled for Washburn's campus.
>  Thanks to Mother Nature, the Ichabods have had 23 games canceled so far this season.
>  Washburn finished the 2018 season with a 39-14 record going 23-3 in MIAA play winning its first conference title since the 2002 season.
>  The Ichabods also made their first NCAA postseason appearance since the 2008 season last year.
 
 Weekend recap . . .
>  The Ichabods were 1-3 last week after getting swept by Missouri-St. Louis and splitting an MIAA doubleheader with Emporia State.
>  Savannah Moore led the Ichabods with a .375 batting average.
>  Taylor Kirk drove in three runs to lead the team during the week with four hits including a double and a triple.
>  Raegen Hamm was 1-1 in the circle in two starts with a complete-game win making four appearances overall with a 1.00 ERA.
 
 Stat Watch . . .
>  Savannah Moore has 102 runs scored and needs four move to move into the top 10 all-time at Washburn.
>  Moore's 39 doubles and is now tied for 10th all-time at Washburn.
>  Moore's 24 home runs is tied for seventh all-time at Washburn.
>  Moore's 134 RBI is fifth all-time at Washburn needing six more to move into the top four.
>  Samantha Stallbaumer's 46 stolen bases are fourth all-time at Washburn.
 
 On Deck . . .
Upper Iowa
>  The Peacocks are 7-5 this season.
>  Washburn split a doubleheade with UIU on Feb. 18 in Conway, Ark., winning the first game 9-2 before losing the nightcap 6-5.
>  Washburn leads the all-time series 9-3.
 
Last Meeting with UIU - Feb. 18, 2019
CONWAY, Ark. -- The Washburn Ichabods split a non-conference doubleheader with Upper Iowa taking the first game 9-2 before dropping the nightcap 6-5.
Game 1 - WU 9, UIU 2
The Ichabods pounded out a season-high 14 hits while winning their fifth game in a row in the opener with the Peacocks.
Washburn scored in the top fo the first when Taylor Kirk drove in Samantha Stallbaumer who led off the game with single and then stole second.
In the third, the Ichabods plated three runs with two coming via a 2-RBI single by Winter Henry and the other on an RBI double by Taylor Kirk.
Washburn added a solo run in the sixth inning on a pinch hit single by Samantha Dutton scoring Kameron Kissinger.
The Ichabods added four in the top of the seventh on an RBI triple by Maddie Stipsits and RBI singles by Savannah Moore and Winter Henry and an RBI double by Kirk.
Reagen Hamm moved to 6-5 on the season pitching four innings for the win.
Game 2 - UIU 6, WU 5
The Ichabods had their five-game winning streak snapped as the Peacocks added a solo run in the top of the seventh for the 6-5 win.
Washburn was down 1-0 after Upper Iowa scored a single run in the top of the first, but came back in the bottom of the first with back to back triples by Briana Fuchs and Moore with an RBI single by Kirk.
The Peacocks had two more in the second inning but the Ichabods had two of their own with a 2-RBI double by Fuchs scoring Stallbaumer and Bri Francis.
Upper Iowa wen tup 5-4 with two runs in the fourth inning, but again the Ichabods rallied with a run in the fifth tying the score on a single by Francis scoring Kirk.
The Ichabods went down in order in the sixth and after the Peacocks took the lead in the top of the seventh, Washburn had runners on on firs tand second with one out but could not send the game into extra innings.
In the twinbill, Winter Henry had four hits and 3 RBI and Kirk had five hits with 4 RBI and two doubles scoring three runs. Moore and Stallbaumer each had three hits and scored three runs as well.
 
Wayne State
>  The Wildcats are 8-6 this season and have won their last five games.
>  Washburn leads the all-time series 19-11 and have won the last two overall.
>  Washburn won the last meeting 6-3 on March 17, 2018.
Last Meeting with Wayne State - March 17, 2018
The Ichabods jumped out to an early lead scoring solo runs in the first and third innings when a Taylor Kirk single drove in Emilee Baker in Washburn's first at bat and then Savannah Moore drove in a run in the third scoring Maddie Anderson.
In the fifth, Washburn scored three more runs when an RBI single by Moore scored Samantha Stallbaumer and Lacie Myers' 2 RBI hit scored both Baker and Kirk. In the bottom of the fifth, the Wildcats scored three runs cutting the lead to two, but a solo home run by Kirk pushed Washburn up to a three-run lead.
Kelsee Henry struck out four scattering two hits improving to 9-3 on the season. Lexi Crabtree pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to finish off the game.
Washburn had 11 hits in the game with Moore, Kirk and Lacie Myers each recording two hits.
 
St. Cloud State
>  The Huskies are 17-3 this season entering the weekend and have won their last four.
>  The Ichabods lead the series 6-4 and won the last meeting 7-3 on March 19, 2017.
Last Meeting with St. Cloud State - March 19, 2017
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Ichabods opened the scoring in the top of the third courtesy of a two-run blast by Jordan Erickson scoring Dakota Sanders who reached first after she was plunked by a pitch. After the Huskies scored two more in the bottom of the frame to tie the score, St. Cloud would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a home run going up 3-2.
Washburn came back in its next at bat scoring three times on RBI singles by Savannah Moore and an RBI by Lacie Myers. The Ichabods tacked on two more in the seventh on an RBI double by Moore scoring Erica Harper and then Moore scored on a double by Taylor Kemp.
Moore and Samantha Carson each had two hits for the Ichabods and Erickson drove in two with one hit.
 
Concordia-St. Paul
>  The Golden Bears are 11-6 this season and have lost the last time out on March 8 to Seton Hill.
>  The series is tied 5-5.
>  The Bears won the last meeting on March 18, 2018 in a 4-3 game.
Last Meeting with Concordia-St. Paul - March 18, 2018
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Ichabods scored all three of their runs in the second inning taking advantage of an error by the Golden Bears with Emilee Baker driving in one of the runs on a double to left. Washburn held the lead until the bottom of the fifth inning when CSP tied the score at 3-3 on a 3-RBI double and then would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run.
Baker had two of the Ichabods' six hits in the game. Lexi Crabtree took the loss allowing the one run in the sixth.
 
Minnesota State
>  The Mavericks are 12-6 this season.
>  The Ichabods lead the all-time series 11-9 after winning the first meeting this season on Feb. 16 in Conway, Ark., in a 6-3 win.
Last Meeting with Minnesota State - Feb. 16, 2019
CONWAY, Ark. -- The Ichabods scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning rallying for a 6-3 win over Minnesota State on Saturday.
After giving up three runs with two unearned in the top of the first, the game would hold a 3-0 lead until the Ichabods added a solo run in the bottom of the fifth when Washburn scored an unearned run when Winter Henry came around to score.
Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, Washburn scored five runs for the win sending nine batters to the plate. Winter Henry drove in two in the inning and Halle England drove in two more and Brianna Fuchs had an RBI double in the inning.
Bailey Zuniga pitched two innings in scoreless relief striking out two.
 
Sioux Falls
>  The Cougars are 10-8 this season.
>  Washburn leads the all-time series 2-0 … the two teams have not met since the 2016 school year.
>  The Cougars are coached by former Missouri Western softball player Shannon Pivovar.
Last Meeting with Sioux Falls- March 18, 2016
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Ichabods (9-12) broke open a scoreless game with five runs in the third inning capped by a three-run homer by Marina Quimby scoring Taylor Zimmerman and Erin Keeney. Zimmerman singled driving in Megan Stegman and Keeney's drive to center scored Cassidy Merriman on an error by the Cougars (14-6).
Sioux Falls added two runs in the seventh but wouldn't get any closer as the Ichabods closed out the win snapping a three-game losing streak.
Ashley Wills went the distance allowing two earned runs striking out four with no walks improving to 4-6 in the circle.
Merriman, Stegman and Quimby each had two hits in the game for Washburn.
 
 Where to follow . . .
>  Fans can also follow the Ichabod softball team at @IchabodSB for updates as well at the athletic department twitter handle at @wusports.
 
 Last time out. . .
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod softball team split an MIAA doubleheader with Emporia State winning game one 6-3 before falling 9-1 in game two at Free State High School.
Game 1 - WU 6, ESU 3
The Ichabods scored one in the first inning jumping out to a 1-0 lead when Taylor Kirk drove in Samantha Stallbaumer who singled to lead off the frame for the Ichabods.
After the Hornets tied the score with a solo run in the top of the third, the Ichabods came back with three in the bottom of the third pushing their lead to 4-1 after Brianna Fuchs led off the inning with a single and then moved to second on a fielder's choice. Krik then drove in Moore and Fuchs with a double and then Kirk came around to score on a single by Winter Henry.
The Ichabods platted two more in the fourth on a 2-RBI single by Moore scoring Emilee Baker and Stallbaumer stretching the margin to 6-1.
The Hornets came back with two unearned runs in the sixth but would get no closer as Bailey Zuniga pitched the seventh inning picking up her first save of the season as Raegen Hamm moved to 8-6 on the season allowing one earned run in six innings of work.
Kirk finished 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and a runs scored and Stallbaumer scored twice with two hits. Moore drove in two.
Game 2 - ESU 9, WU 1 (5 innings)
The Hornets jumped out to a 3-0 lead taking advantage of of an Ichabod error coming out to the early lead.
In the third after Taylor Kirk tripled to start the inning, she would score on ground out by Bri Francis cutting the Hornet lead to 3-1.
Neither team would score until the Hornets scored six in the fourth inning breaking the game open.
Stallbaumer, Kirk, England and Baker each had four hits for the Ichabods.
Washburn committed three errors in the game helping the Hornet cause in the game.
Zuniga took the loss giving up two hits and four earned runs.
 
 Head coach Brenda Holaday . . .
>  is 76-58 in her third season as the Ichabod head softball coach.
>  coached the previous 19 seasons at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka compiling a 351-93 record.
>  led the Junior Blues to three 6A state championships as well as winning 14 league championships earning 16 6A state tournament berths, five second-place state finishes and three third-place state finishes and was inducted into the Washburn Rural High School Hall of Fame in 2018.
>  was named the Centennial League Coach of the Year and City Coach of the Year nine different times earning the Midwest Sectional Coach of the Year in 2011 and the 6A Kansas Coach of the year two times in 2008 and 2011 and was named the overall Kansas Coach of the Year in 2011.
>  while at Washburn Rural, she coached more than 40 players who have gone on to play college softball including three at the NCAA Division I level including former Ichabod head softball coach Lisa Carey, the winningest coach by wins in program history.
 
 Washburn Ichabod softball history . . .
>  The Ichabods are 1140-890-1 in their 50th year of softball.
>  The Ichabods have made four NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2006, 2008, 2018).
>  Washburn won the 2002 and 2018 regular season MIAA titles.
 
 Up Next . . .
Washburn is scheduled to return to MIAA play hosting Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State on March 29-30 in Topeka.