MAGNOLIA, Ark. -- Washburn baseball will play its first-ever NCAA postseason game on Thursday at 6 p.m. as the No. 7 seed in the Central Region tournament and will take on the host team, No. 2 seed and No. 8-ranked Southern Arkansas.

TOURNAMENT INFO
>> The NCAA Central Region #2 bracket consists of No. 2 seed Southern Arkansas, No. 3 seed Henderson State, No. 6 seed Northeastern State, and No. 7 Washburn.
>> It is a double-elimination bracket with the winner moving on to play a best-of-three series against the winner of the Central Region #1 bracket.
>> Tickets are available to purchase online here. Fans can also purchase tickets on-site.
>> There will be no tournament passes, but a single day ticket is good for the entire day.
>> Tickets for fans ages 13 and older are $8 while fans 12 and under get in for free.
>> Pets are not allowed within Walker Stadium.

FULL SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 19
Game 1 | 2 p.m. | No. 3 Henderson State vs. No. 6 Northeastern State
Game 2 | 6 p.m. | No. 2 Southern Arkansas vs. No. 7 Washburn

Friday, May 20
Game 3 | 2 p.m. | Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
Game 4 | 6p.m. | Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2

Saturday, May 21
Game 5 | 2 p.m. | Loser of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 3
Game 6 | 6 p.m. | Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5

Sunday, May 22
Game 7 (If necessary) | 2 p.m. | Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5

QUICK HITS
>> Washburn is 33-20 over all this year went 4-2 overall in the MIAA Tournament with wins over Central Oklahoma, No. 3 Central Missouri, and Northeastern State.
>> Washburn is hitting .301 and has outscored its opponents, 426-355, and also leads in hits (562-466), doubles (121-90), and home runs (73-54) this year.
>> The Ichabods have had at least one double in 46 of the 53 with 13 games recording four or more doubles.
>> When scoring in the first inning, WU is 18-5 and when scoring first in general, the Ichabods are 20-5.
>> The Ichabods have had 15 multi-homerun games and are 12-3 when hitting two or more homers in a game.
>> Southern Arkansas is 41-11 and swept through the GAC tournament to claim their sixth championship.
>> These two teams have faced each other nine times since 2016 and Southern Arkansas holds a narrow 5-4 series lead.
>> The Ichabods are 14-10 in true road games this year while the Muleriders are 16-3 on their home field.
>> When playing against SAU in Magnolia, the Ichabods are 2-2.
>> This is the 70th season in Washburn baseball history.

WASHBURN'S LAST TIME OUT
>> The Ichabods, who were picked sixth in the MIAA Preseason Poll, reached the MIAA Tournament championship game on Saturday for the first time since 2000. They were the lowest seed and only unbeaten team in the conference tournament heading into that game.
>> WU got to the championship game after a 15-13 win over No. 3 Central Missouri on the opening day.
>> The Ichabods put up three runs in the first inning before trailing 4-3 in the third and then 8-5 in the fifth.
>> Two big two-run homers in the sixth by Connor Scott and Quinn Waterbury gave Washburn a 9-8 lead.
>> The Mules pulled within one in the eighth, 14-13, but Zion Bowlin's RBI single in the ninth gave Washburn an insurance run and John Cross closed out a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
>> On day two, Washburn knocked off Northeastern State, 8-5.
>> Trailing 3-2 in the fifth, Scott tied the game with an RBI double and the RiverHawks elected to intentionally walk Brett Ingram to face Quinn Waterbury, who promptly hit a three-run jack to make the score 6-3 in favor of the Ichabods and they never trailed again.
>> Washburn scored in each of the first six innings against No. 3 UCM on Championship Saturday and led 12-6 when the Mules started to chip away at the deficit with one run in the seventh and six in the eighth to lead 13-12.
>> Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli started the bottom of the ninth with a double and then scored the tying run on Easton Bruce's single to send the game to extras.
>> UCM plated three runs in the top of the 10th and held on for the 16-13 win to force the "if necessary" game.
>> Washburn jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the night cap on a two-run homer by Bowlin in the first.
>> After surrendering three in the second frame, Washburn tied the game up in the third on a wild pitch.
>> The Mules reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third and led for the remainder of the game to capture their fourth-consecutive MIAA Tournament title with a 10-5 win.
>> Six Ichabods were named to the MIAA All-Tournament Team: John Cross, Parker Dunn, Bruce, Clark-Chiapparelli, Ingram, and Scott.

THIRTY AND OVER
>> Washburn has had 11 teams win 30 or more games in a season with this year's 33 victories being the most since 2016, when the Ichabods went 34-20.
>> Coach Douglas recorded back-to-back 30+ wins in his first two seasons as head coach (2015 & 2016).
>> The most wins Washburn has recorded in a single season has been 37 on three occasions (2000, 1994, 1988).

THE FACTOR
>> Senior Brett Ingram is having a career year for the Ichabods as he leads the team in batting average (.365), hits (80), runs (56), doubles (20), and multi-hit games (27).
>> Prior to this season, he had played in 63 games and had 63 hits, 38 runs scored in 197 at bats scattered across three seasons ... this year, he has 80 hits in 219 at bats while starting all 53 games.
>> He ranks fourth all-time in Washburn's single season records list for hits.
>> His 219 at bats is-most third for a single season.
>> He is in the top-15 for most runs scored in a year, tying for 14th in the program's history.
>> He is also tied for second for most doubles. Billy Crooks holds the current single season record with 22 in 2000.
>> Ingram was named to the all-MIAA second team for the second-consecutive season.

GETTING IT DUNN
>> Power-hitting Parker Dunn leads the team with 17 home runs, which is the fourth-most an Ichabod has hit in a single season.
>> He also has driven in a team-best 59 runs to rank seventh for WU's single season records.
>> In the MIAA Tournament last week, he hit .471 (8-17) with three home runs, three doubles, a triple, and a scorching 1.294 slugging percentage. He also scored six runs and recorded six RBI in the four games played.

AROUND THE HORN
>> In addition to his superb offensive numbers, Ingram has also done well in the hot corner for the Ichabods and has a .950 fielding percentage.
>> Watkins has started all 53 games at short stop and has recorded 63 hits and scored 52 runs while hitting .292.
>> Clark-Chiapparelli has played 50 games at second base and has a .953 fielding percentage. At the plate, he is hitting .291 with 58 hits, 23 of which have gone for extra bases, to go with 37 RBI and 44 runs scored.
>>  First baseman Waterbury has come on strong down the stretch as he has started eight of the last nine games and during that time has hit .394 (13-33) with five home runs, two doubles, eight runs scored, and 18 RBI with a .909 slugging percentage.
>> For the season, Waterbury has a .333 batting average with 20 hits, seven home runs, three doubles, 27 RBI, and 15 runs scored in 20 total games played. He's also on an eight game hitting streak.
>> Catcher Kros Bay has played in 51 games and has 43 hits, including 10 doubles and five home runs, and has scored 36 times.
>> He hit two monster home runs in the MIAA Tournament last week.

OUT IN THE FIELD
>> Left fielder Bruce has a .342 average with 40 hits and 25 runs scored in 31 games played in  his freshman campaign.
>> Scott has made all 53 starts in center field for the Ichabods and has landed 57 hits with 15 doubles, a team-high four triples, and six home runs. He has scored 41 runs and knocked in 27.
>> Bowlin returned to the lineup and right field for the postseason after missing a month due to injury. He has seven hits in his six games back with six RBI and five runs scored.
>> Overall this year, he bats .329 with 50 hits, 36 RBI, and 34 runs.

FOR STARTERS
>> The Ichabods pitching staff has a 5.78 ERA and has recorded the most strikeouts of any MIAA team, tallying 517.
>> Steward is 5-2 in 15 starts and has thrown a team-high 72 innings. He has a 6.38 ERA and 77 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .264 batting average..
>> In 13 starts, Jack Brimacombe is 2-4 with a 5.96 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 54 and 1/3 innings.
>> Charlie Kiefer made the start against No. 3 UCM on Saturday and went into the seventh inning. He received a no-decision and tied a season-high five strikeouts in the game.
>> In his first year with the Ichabods, he has made 14 total appearances with six starts and is 3-1 with one save. He has a 5.15 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 36 and 2/3 innings of work.

WHAT A RELIEF
>> Cross has made 16 total appearances on the mound with three starts and has a record of 2-1 with two saves. He has collected 56 strikeouts in 24 innings and has a 3.18 ERA.
>> He picked up the save in the first game against UCM, throwing a scoreless ninth and had two strikeouts.
>> Washburn's all-time career saves leader Dalton Huggins leads the squad in strikeouts, 28 appearances, and five saves.
>> He is 5-1 and has a 3.82 ERA to go with a team-leading 82 strikeouts (fourth in MIAA), including 22 strikeouts looking (sixth) and he's held opponents to a .242 batting average (fifth)
>> Braden Babcock earned his second win in as many postseason appearances on Friday of last week when he took over in the fourth inning against Northeastern State and went three and 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and struck out a career-high six strikeouts.
>> For the year, Babcock has a 3.57 ERA and has 19 strikeouts in 17.2 innings of work.

HEAD COACH HARLEY DOUGLAS
>> Former Washburn All-MIAA outfielder Harley Douglas is in 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
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MULERDIERS
>> Southern Arkansas earned its 14th trip to the NCAA Tournament and received the automatic bid this year after winning the Great American Conference last week. The Muleriders also won the regular season conference title with a record of 27-6.
>> The Muleriders have the eighth-highest scoring offense in the nation as they average 9.9 runs per game.
>> The team is hitting .314 and has recorded 94 home runs, 113 doubles, and 12 triples.
>> Riley Orr leads the team with a .379 average and has 55 hits, 55 runs scored, and 50 RBI.
>> Brandon Nicoll has started all 52 games and is batting .320 while leading the team in hits (71), doubles (21), and RBI (64) and is second on the squad with 61 runs scored.
>> Four Muleriders have hit 10 or more home runs, led by Tucker Barton's 16.
>> The Mulerider pitching staff has a collective 4.56 ERA with a conference-leading 416 strikeouts.
>> SAU is led by ace Jeremy Adorno, the unanimous GAC Pitcher of the Year, All-GAC first team selectino, and was the GAC Newcomer of the Year. The freshman has won all 14 of his starts to lead the nation in victories. He is second in DII in hits allowed per nine innings (5.27), third in complete games (seven), and fourth in strikeouts (124).
>> Wyatt Marr is 8-1 in 13 starts and 14 total appearances and has logged 72.1 innings with one complete game and has struck out 49. He holds a 4.23 ERA on the year.

HEAD COACH JUSTIN PETTIGREW
>> Justin Pettigrew is in his sixth year leading the Muleriders and has compiled a record of 158-75 with four conference tournament titles and four appearances in the NCAA Tournament during that time.
>> He was named the GAC Coach of the Year in his first season as head coach in 2017 after guiding the team to a 39-16 overall record and a 28-5 mark in conference play. He was also tabbed as the COTY at the conclusion of this regular season.
>> Prior to becoming the head coach, Pettigrew served as SAU's pitching coach for 11 years and mentored 11 pitchers that moved on to play professional baseball, including eight MLB draftees.
>> He started his coaching career at his alma mater and SAU rival, Arkansas Tech. He was the pitching coach for the Wonder Boys for five years.

SERIES HISTORY WITH SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
>> These two teams have played nine times since 2016 and the Muleriders hold a slight edge in the all-time series, 5-4.
>> Washburn opened the 2019 season in Magnolia with three games at Southern Arkansas.
>> The Ichabods took game one of that series, 8-4, before falling in the next two by the scores of 5-2 and 5-3.
>> There are only four players on this year's squad that were on the roster in 2019: Trevor Marreel, Michael Schurig, Jared Sharp, and Brett Ingram.
>> Current graduate assistant Lane Harvey was the leadoff man for that series.

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 totalling 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
>> A win on Thursday would mean Washburn would play at 6 p.m. on Friday against the winner of Henderson State/Northeastern State. If the Ichabods lose, they will play Friday at 2 p..m. against the loser in the HSU/NSU game one matchup.