TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Ichabods resume MIAA play at home this weekend as they host Central Oklahoma for three games starting Friday at 5 p.m.
LEADING OFF
>> The second game of the series is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday and the finale will be a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
>> Washburn's non-conference game at Fort Hays State originally scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed due to high winds and will be rescheduled for a later date.
>> The Ichabods (23-11, 13-7 MIAA) are coming off a 14-4 victory against William Jewell on Tuesday.
>> Central Oklahoma holds a record of 20-13 (12-8 MIAA) and defeated Southeastern Oklahoma 17-7 on Tuesday.
>> UCO won the series against WU last year in Edmond, winning two out of three games on April 2-3.
>> Washburn is 10-4 when playing at Falley Field this season while Central Oklahoma holds a 12-6 mark in road contests.
>> WU is tied with Missouri Southern for third in the MIAA standings. Central Missouri is first in the league with a 19-1 record in conference play.
>> The Ichabods checked in at No. 7 in the most recent NCBWA Central Region poll.
>> WU entered the top-30 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper rankings in a tie with Drury at No. 30 after collecting 10 points.
>> This is the 70th season in Washburn baseball history.
WASHBURN'S LAST TIME OUT
>> The Ichabods posted their third run-rule victory of the season on Tuesday with a 14-4 decision at William Jewell.
>> Washburn trailed 4-1 after the third inning and cut the deficit in half in the fourth with a solo home run by Brett Ingram.
>> The Ichabods then scored 10 runs in the fifth to jump ahead, 12-4.
>> WU added one run in the sixth and seventh to create a 10-run advantage and capture the run-rule win.
>> Washburn out hit William Jewell, 15-8, and had three home runs and two doubles.
BY THE NUMBERS
>> Washburn has had three run-rule seven inning victories this year and two in four days.
>> In the last two run-rule wins, Washburn trailed 4-1 after three innings.
>> The Ichabods have outscored opponents, 52-16, in the fifth inning.
>> When scoring in the first inning, Washburn is 14-2.
>> WU has hit 51 home runs so far this season, the most since the 2016 team hit 69.
>> The Ichabods have cranked out 13 multi-home run games and are 12-1 when hitting two or more homers.
QUICK HITS
>> Washburn is second among MIAA teams in doubles with 83, which also ranks fourth in the Division II.
>> The team is second in the MIAA and ninth in the nation with 388 hits.
>> Otto Jones has started the last five games and is batting .386 with 17 hits, four doubles, and nine runs scored.
>> He has also reached base in 12-straight games he has played.
>> Trevor McCollum has started all 16 games he's played this season and has a .378 average and has 17 hits and runs scored. He went 2-4 against William Jewell and scored twice.
>> Brett Ingram is on an eight-game hitting streak and leads the team with 50 hits. He has also scored 34 runs and has a .355 batting average while being second on the squad in RBI (36) and home runs (nine).
>> He also has recorded a team-best 16 multi-hit games.
>> Power hitter Parker Dunn is in the top-10 in the MIAA five offensive categories, including RBI (43/third), doubles (12/fouth), home runs (13/sixth), and slugging percentage (.727/sixth).
FOR STARTERS
>> The Washburn pitching staff has a 5.25 earned run average and leads the league with 350 strikeouts.
>> Charlie Kiefer (3-1) made his fourth start of the season in Tuesday's game against William Jewell. He did not receive a decision after going 2.2 innings and allowing four runs - two earned - on four hits and a walk.
>> He has a 3.70 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched and also has one save.
>> Wyatt Hardy made his first collegiate start in game one against Central Missouri. He went three innings and allowed four runs on six hits and recorded a strikeout.
>> Casey Steward won his second-consecutive start and improved to 3-0 on the bump after going six innings and holding No. 4 UCM to four runs - three earned - and three hits and two walks.
>> Jack Brimacombe (2-1) has thrown 37.1 innings in eight starts and has struck out 33 batters and holds a 4.82 earned run average.
WHAT A RELIEF
>> Dalton Huggins has made a team-high 14 apearances and leads the team with 56 strikeouts, which is third in the league.
>> He is 2-0 with two saves and a 3.69 ERA in 39.0 innings pitched.
>> Julian Zamora has a team-low 1.59 ERA after throwing 11.1 innings in nine appearances. He earned the win against the Cardinals to move up to 2-0 on the season.
>> John Cross had a clean 1.2 innings on the mound against William Jewell and struck out four of the five batters he faced.
>> This season, Cross is 1-1 with a save in eight appearances and holds a 2.57 ERA and 27 strikeouts.
>> Joel Casillas has collected four saves this season to lead the team. He worked 1.2 clean innings in the third game against UCM.
HEAD COACH HARLEY DOUGLAS
>> Former Washburn All-MIAA outfielder Harley Douglas enters his eighth season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program in 2022.
>> In seven seasons, Douglas carries an all-time record of 161-152 with three appearances in the MIAA Tournament.
>> He has also coached a total of 39 all-MIAA selections, including one MIAA Player and Pitcher of the Year.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS
>> The Bronchos closed out the 2021 campaign with a record of 25-21 (16-14 MIAA).
>> This season, the offense has scored double-figure runs in 13 games and outscored its opponents, 260-193.
>> Clayton Peterson leads the team with 44 hits and nine doubles while ranking second on the squad in runs (27), RBI (38), and home runs (three).
>> Garrett Takamatsu has hit nearly half of the team's home runs as he has recorded 14 on the year and has driven in 40 runs to go with 40 hits and 35 runs scored.
>> UCO's pitching staff is right behind WU in strikeouts on the year with 342. The Bronchos have an overall earned run average of 5.48.
>> Kyler Patterson has been a reliable reliever for the Bronchos this year as he holds a microscopic 0.65 ERA in 27.2 innings pitched in 15 appearances with seven saves and 47 strikeouts.
>> Beaux Bonvillain is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched, making 15 total appearances and three starts.
>> Lawson Isaacs pitched a perfect game earlier this season and he is 4-2 in 36.0 innings.
HEAD COACH JOHN MARTIN
>> John Martin is in his seventh season at Central Oklahoma and entered the year with a career record of 184-108-1.
>> He led the Bronchos to four-consecutive seasons with 30+ victories to start his tenure at UCO.
>> Prior to joining Central Oklahoma, he was the head coach at Coffeyville Community College.
>> As a catcher, Martin played one year at Hutchinson Community College before transferring to Emporia State
SERIES HISTORY WITH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
>> Washburn and Central Oklahoma have met 55 times since 1985 and the Bronchos hold a 33-22 all-time series lead.
>> The last time the series was played in Topeka was 2016 and the Ichabods took two out of three.
>> The Bronchos won the series in Edmond last year, taking game on 5-3 before falling in the second, 6-4. UCO clinched the series with a 12-3 victory.
>> WU led that series in doubles, 9-3, and home runs, 6-5.
>> Dunn hit .417 and hit three home runs, a double, had four RBI, and three runs scored.
>> Casillas made one relief appearances and pitched two scoreless frames and allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five.
>> In the game two victory, Steward received the save after working the last 1.1 innings and allowing an unearned run and a walk to go with a strikeout.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
>> For the second-consecutive season, the Ichabods were picked sixth in the MIAA Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll.
>> Central Missouri was voted the favorite earning 10 first-place votes and totaling 120 points.
>> Pittsburg State racked up 103 points and one first-place votes and Northeastern State received the final first-place vote and was tabbed third with 94 points.
>> Central Oklahoma (92 points) and Missouri Southern (86 points) rounded out the top-five.
PRO BOD
>> There have been five Washburn players since 1965 that played for a Major League Baseball team and eight total players have signed a professional contract.
>> At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Brock Gilliam was signed by the Kansas City Monarchs on July 23, 2021.
>> He appeared in 13 games making one start and finished with a 3-1 record in 22.2 innings pitched with 21 strikeouts.
>> He helped the Monarchs to the American Association championship title.
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD
>> The Ichabods will stay at home for a midweek game against Northwest Missouri on Tuesday, April 12 before heading to Emporia State April 14-16.
