TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball is set to begin its MIAA schedule this weekend with three games at Missouri Western starting on Friday at 3 p.m.
LEADING OFF
>> The Ichabods are coming off a tough start to the season after going 0-4 at Regis.
>> The Griffons (1-3) won their season opener against Missouri S&T, 14-3, but lost the following three contests at the the MIAA/GLVC Crossover and then at Pittsburg State.
>> Washburn was tabbed sixth in the 2021 MIAA Preseason Poll and Missouri Western was picked ninth.
>> The Ichabods swept the series against the Griffons last season at Falley Field.
>> This is the 68th season in Washburn baseball program history.
GAME INFORMATION
>> The series opener is set for Friday at 3 p.m.
>> Saturday's doubleheader is slated to being at 1 p.m.
>> All games will be live streamed and have live stats.
STARTING IN GRAND FASHION
>> Brett Ingram made a grand entrance to the 2021 season in game one against Regis. After coming off the bench in the sixth inning, he hit a single in the eighth inning.
>> He came up to the plate with the bases juiced in the top of the ninth and sent the pitch over the right field fence for his second career homer.
>> He finished the opening weekend 5-8 at the plate, hit .625, and had a 1.000 slugging percentage.
LONG BALL TRIO
>> Including Ingram's grand slam, there were three home runs hit by three different Ichabods in the opening series.
>> It was déjà vu for Parker Dunn as he launched a homer in his very first at bat, exactly like he did in the first game last season against Cal State San Bernardino.
>> Wyatt Featherston hit a two-run shot in the sixth inning of game two.
GETTING IT DUNN
>> Parker Dunn started all four games and went 6-15 with two doubles and a home run.
>> He drove in Xavier De Leon for both Washburn runs in the final game and finished the series with five RBI.
ICHABOD DEBUTS OUT OF THE 'PEN
>> Eight different Ichabod pitchers made their first appearance out of the bullpen against Regis.
>> Sean McElwee threw 3.2 scoreless innings and gave up just one hit and one walk to go with four strikeouts.
FIRST CAREER HITS
>> Two freshmen recorded their first collegiate hit at Regis.
>> Trevor McCollum went 2-3 in his first game with two singles. He added another single in the Sunday game.
>> Otto Jones made his first career appearance with a start behind the plate in game one of the doubleheader against the Rangers. In the sixth inning, he singled down the left field line for his very first hit.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION - MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS
>> The Griffons went 8-15 (3-3 MIAA) during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
>> In four games played this season, Missouri Western is hitting .309 and are tied for second among MIAA teams with seven home runs.
>> Alex Crouch leads the offense after going 8-16 in the first four games with two homers, three doubles, and collecting nine RBI. He also drew three walks.
>> Out of Bailey Crump's five hits, four have gone over the fence. He has driven in seven runs.
>> The Griffon pitching staff has a collective ERA or 7.64.
>> Starter Jacob Weirich gave up one unearned run and two singles while striking out nine in six innings pitched against Missouri Southern.
>> Roy Robles picked up the win against Missouri S&T tossing five innings and giving up three runs on eight hits. He also struck out nine.
HEAD COACH BUZZ VERDUZCO
>> Buzz Verduzco is in his 22nd season at the helm of the Missouri Western baseball team and has a career record of 592-456.
>> 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 141 times since 1970 with Washburn holding a one game lead in the all-time series, 71-70.
>> Washburn swept the three-game series last year and have won five of the last six meetings.
>> The Ichabods batted .398 in that series and had 20 extra base hits out of their 41 total hits.
>> Zion Bowlin had a great series, batting .615 (8-13) with a home run, three doubles, four runs scored and seven RBI.
>> Brock Gilliam started the series off with a gem, tossing seven scoreless innings and allowing just three singles, no walks, and striking out five.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
>> The Ichabods were picked sixth in the MIAA Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll.
>> Central Missouri was voted the favorite earning 11 first-place votes and totalling 121 points.
>> Central Oklahoma received the remaining first-place vote and was picked second with 110 points.
>> Missouri Southern, Pittsburg State, and Emporia State rounded out the top-five.
WELCOME BACK EVERY-BOD-Y
>> Twenty-eight Ichabods from last season return with 11 of those being seniors.
>> The returning roster also consists of five juniors, five sophomores, and seven freshmen.
NEW FACES
>> Washburn welcomes 18 newcomers to this year's squad, including nine transfer student-athletes who are all coming from nine different programs spread across Division I, Division II, and Junior Colleges.
>> Eight true freshmen also enter their first season with the Ichabods.
ICHABODS AROUND THE COUNTRY
>> Washburn's 45-man roster consists of players from 10 different states.
>> There are 17 players on the roster who hail from the Sunflower State.
>> Texas has the second-most Ichabods with eight.
>> Nebraska and Colorado each have five Washburn players.
>> Four are from Oklahoma.
>> Ashton Paith and Alex Bass represent Missouri.
>> Four states have just one player: Adrian Burciaga (California), Eric Hinostroza (Florida), Teagan Tamiya (Hawaii), and Mark Wanner (Illinois).
ICHABODS IN THE PROS
>> There have been five Washburn players since 1965 that played for a Major League Baseball team and seven total players have signed a professional contract.
>> Former Ichabod infielder Riley Krane (2013-17) recently signed a contract with the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League for the 2021 season.
>> Krane enters his fourth season in the Frontier League after playing two seasons with the Windy City ThunderBolts and one with the Joliet Slammers.
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD
>> Washburn will open its home schedule against No. 19 Missouri Southern on March 5.
