LEADING OFF
>> The Ichabods begin conference play at home this weekend against the Missouri Western Griffons (4-11) starting Friday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.
>> First pitch at Falley Field on Saturday and Sunday are both scheduled for 1 p.m.
>> Washburn is 8-8 on the year after splitting its four-game series against Regis last weekend, dropping the first and last games but sweeping the doubleheader in between.
>> The Griffons went 1-3 in their home opening series against Minot State.
>> In the 2020 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, Missouri Western was picked seventh and Washburn checked in at ninth.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
>> The Ichabods will play their first full home series of the season this weekend.
>> Washburn went 9-3 at Falley Field last year.
>> Falley Field was opened in 1990 and the Ichabods went 19-5 in the first season of the ballpark.
>> In 30 full seasons played at Falley, Washburn has a 379-265 (.589) record at home.
HEAD'S UP
>> Jacob Head improved his record to 4-0 in four starts on the hill after throwing six scoreless innings in the first doubleheader game against Regis.
>> Head scattered just three hits across six innings and walked one while striking out nine for the second-consecutive game.
>> He leads the team with 27 strikeouts.
>> His 14 career wins moved him into a six-way tie for the 10th-most career victories in Washburn history.
>> He also climbed up to 15th in the Ichabods' record books for most innings pitched as he has thrown 168.1 in his career.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE
>> Joe Roecker is 2-1 on the year after picking up the win over Regis in the second doubleheader game.
>> Against the Rangers, he tossed five innings and allowed one run on two hits and walked two. He struck out six on the day, including three in the second inning when he struck out the side all swinging.
>> Roecker has the second-most strikeouts on the pitching staff with 25, with eight of those catching the batters looking.
EXTRA, EXTRA!
>> Washburn has recorded 45 extra base hits so far this season.
>> There have been 27 doubles, six triples, and 12 homers.
>> Nine Ichabods have at least two doubles.
QUICK START
>> Redshirt-sophomore infielder Brett Ingram was 6-for-11 at the plate last week and scored three runs with two RBI. In Saturday's doubleheader games, he made his first collegiate start at third base and went a combined 4-for-6 while recording his first homer, a two-run shot, and also hitting a double. He finished with a slugging percentage of .909.
MULTI-HOMERUN GAMES
>> The Ichabods recorded their fifth multi-homer game of the season hitting two over the fence in the second doubleheader game against Regis.
>> Ingram and Carson Sader each hit a two-run bomb to center field last Saturday afternoon.
>> It was Sader's first homerun as an Ichabod.
BODS AND ENDS
>> The Ichabods have outscored their opponents, 91-86, with 24 of their runs coming in the third inning.
>> Washburn is second in the MIAA with 134 hits.
>> Redshirt-freshman Michael Schurig made his collegiate debut on Sunday against Regis. He retired the side in order with two strikeouts in his first inning of work.
>> Steven Jacobson is five hits away from reaching 100 career hits since joining Washburn in 2018.
>> Mitchell Lady is 6-for-6 in stolen bases this season.
>> Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli has reached base in nine-straight games.
>> He also made his debut on the mound in relief against Regis, allowing one run on two hits in two innings pitched while also recording two strikeouts.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS
>> Missouri Western went 21-24 (17-16 MIAA) last season and advanced to the conference tournament as the eight-seed and went 1-2.
>> The team returns 16 players from last year while welcoming more than 20 newcomers.
>> The Griffons' offense has gotten off to a slow start as they have been outscored 59-121 and have been shut out in five of their games so far.
>> As a team, they are batting .240 at the plate.
>> Andrew Meier is batting .339 and leads the team with 19 hits, seven of which have gone for extra bases, and has driven in a dozen runs.
>> Josh Robinson has a .341 batting average and 15 hits. He has scored a team-best 12 runs.
>> Colby Tam has hit three of the Griffons' 12 homers. With 10 hits on the year, he has accounted for 13 RBI.
>> Missouri Western's pitching staff currently has an ERA of 8.31 in 118 innings with 107 strikeouts.
>> Jack Schmedding is 2-0 in five appearances this year. He has an ERA of 5.06 after 16 innings pitched and has recorded 10 strikeouts.
>> Roy Robles leads the team with 32 strikeouts. In six innings, he fanned 17 in his season debut against Oklahoma Baptist.
>> Opponents have gotten on the board early against Missouri Western, outscoring the Griffons 26-5 in the first inning and 58-17 through the first three inning combined.
HEAD COACH BUZZ VERDUZCO
>> Buzz Verduzco is in his 21st season at the helm of the Missouri Western baseball team and has a career record of 587-449.
>> He has led the Griffons to an MIAA regular season championship (2013) and four NCAA regional berths.
>> Verduzco served as an assistant coach at Washington State for 10 years before coming to Missouri Western.
>> He started his coaching career at the University of Nevada, where he also earned his master's degree.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MISSOURI WESTERN
>> The two teams have played each other 135 times since 1970 with Washburn holding a one game lead in the all-time series, 68-67.
>> Missouri Western is 33-29 when playing in Topeka.
>> The Ichabods won two out of three in St. Joseph last season.
>> In game one, Washburn trailed 4-2 heading into the eighth inning, but rallied and scored six runs on six hits in the bottom of the eighth and went on to win, 8-4.
>> Brandon Gabler picked up the win in the third game after coming on in relief with the score tied at 3-3 and Washburn walked off in the bottom of the ninth as Jacobson scored on a sacrifice fly.
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD
>> Washburn will travel down to Joplin, Mo., to take on Missouri Southern in a three-game series starting March 6.
