TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball will travel to the Sunshine State for five games this week, starting at Barry on Thursday evening.
LEADING OFF
>> In addition to playing at Barry, the Ichabods will also play at No. 22 Nova Southeastern, Palm Beach Atlantic, and Lynn ... all four teams compete in the Sunshine State Conference.
>> Washburn made its first-ever trip to Florida last season and played those same four teams for the first time in 2022.
>> The Ichabods started the season last weekend at the Dugan Invitational in Arkansas and went 1-3 against Central Region teams, with all three losses being by one run.
>> Washburn reached its first NCAA postseason last year and finished the season 33-22.
>> In true road games last year, Washburn was 14-11.
>> The Ichabods were picked sixth in this year's MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll.
>> The 2023 season is the 71st year of Washburn Baseball.
SOUTH FLORIDA INVITE - WASHBURN SCHEDULE
>> Washburn will begin play in Florida on Thursday at Barry in Miami Shores. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT.
>> The Ichabods will head to Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale on Friday for another 5 p.m. game.
>> Saturday's game at Palm Beach Atlantic in West Palm Beach is set for 12 p.m.
>> The Ichabods will return to Barry on Sunday game at noon.
>> The final game of the Florida trip will be at Lynn in Boca Raton on Monday at 1 p.m.
WASHBURN'S LAST TIME OUT
>> Washburn lost the season opener to Ouachita Baptist, 7-6 ... the Ichabods tied up the game in the bottom of the eighth, but a leadoff home run in the ninth by the Tigers was the difference.
>> Against Southeastern Oklahoma the following day, the Ichabods broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the third and never trailed en route to a 7-2 decision.
>> At Henderson State, Washburn regained a 6-4 lead with two runs in the eighth, but saw the lead slip away in the bottom of the ninth after allowing three runs.
>> Washburn went toe-to-toe with the No. 2-ranked team in the country, holding Southern Arkansas to just two runs through seven innings while the Ichabods leveled the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh ... the Muleriders scored the go-ahead run in the eighth on a sac fly and held on for the 3-2 win.
FIRSTS OF 2023
>> The Ichabods wasted little time recording many firsts of the 2023 season in the first inning of the season opener against Ouachita Baptist.
>> Trey Adams recorded a single in his first Ichabod at bat for the first Washburn hit of the season in the first inning against Ouachita Baptist.
>> Three batters later, Trevor McCollum drew the first walk with the bases juiced to bring in Cal Watkins for the first Ichabod run of the new season.
>> Up next, Ike Book also made the most of his first at bat as an Ichabod in the opening frame against OBU ... with the bases still loaded, he ripped a double for the Ichabods' first two-base hit of 2023.
>> Watkins hit the first home run for the Ichabods this season ... he sent the ball over the right field wall against Southeastern Oklahoma for a three-run shot.
>> Warner earned the first win on the mound for Washburn.
WU DEBUT
>> Ten Ichabods played in their first games in a Washburn uniform last weekend.
>> Out of those 10, five were in the starting lineup for at least one game.
>> Newcomers Caden Bressler and Adams started all four games in the infield.
QUICK HITS - OFFENSE
>> Through four games, Washburn holds a .268 batting average with nine doubles.
>> Book started the first two games and went 4-8 at the plate with two doubles and five RBI. For his performance, he was named to the Dugan Invitational All-Tournament Team.
>> Watkins currently leads the team with six hits and six runs scored and is second on the club with four RBI.
>> Bressler has collected five hits, including two doubles, and scored two runs and driven in two more.
>> McCollum, Adams, and Cale Savage have all landed four hits.
>> Adams has also scored four times ... against the Reddies, he was 2-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.
QUICK HITS - PITCHING
>> The Ichabod pitching staff has a 3.86 ERA and currently ranks second among MIAA teams for the most strikeouts with 35.
>> Warner had a solid relief outing and picked up the win against Southeastern Oklahoma ... he went 3 1/3 innings and allowed just one hit, two walks, and an HBP while striking out three.
>> Griffin Huiatt made his first collegiate start at Henderson State and went six innings and allowed three runs on six hits with zero walks and six strikeouts.
>> Chase Torkelson pitched in his first game as an Ichabod in the season opener and threw three scoreless innings and allowed just one unearned run and one hit with two walks and four strike outs ... he struck out the side in the sixth.
>> Rane Pfeifer started game four in Arkansas and went three innings and allowed an unearned run and two hits to go with four strikeouts.
>> Newcomer Jayden Payne closed out the games against Southeastern Oklahoma and Southern Arkansas ... he did not allow a run in either outing and had two strikeouts against the Savage Storm.
BODS AND ENDS
>> The Ichabods have been getting on the board early and scored in the first inning of three of their four games.
>> In the seventh and eighth innings, Washburn has outscored its opponents, 7-2.
>> The Ichabod defense recorded four double plays against Ouachita Baptist.
>> Watkins and Bressler are the only two Ichabods to have a hit in every game so far.
>> Bruce is currently leading the MIAA in walks with five ... he drew three against SEOSU.
>> Washburn fought back to tie the game or take a lead in the seventh inning or later in all three losses.
>> The Ichabods went 1-3 to start the 2022 season and then won 14 of their next 15 games.
ICHABODS AROUND THE COUNTRY
>> Washburn's 42-man roster consists of players from eight different states.
>> There are 15 players on the roster who are from the Sunflower State.
>> Nebraska boasts the second-most players with seven.
>> Colorado has six Washburn players and Missouri has five.
>> There are four Ichabods from Oklahoma and three from Texas.
>> Mickey Coyne is from Nevada and Teagan Tamiya is from Hawaii.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
>> In the 2023 MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll, the Ichabods were picked exactly where they finished a season prior in fifth place.
>> Central Missouri repeated as the conference favorite, earning 11 first-place votes.
>> Pittsburg State checked in at No. 2, Northeastern State was No. 3 and earned the final first-place vote.
>> Central Oklahoma and Washburn rounded out the top-five.
HEAD COACH HARLEY DOUGLAS
>> Former Washburn All-MIAA outfielder Harley Douglas enters his ninth season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program in 2023.
>> In eight seasons, Douglas carries an all-time record of 161-152 with four appearances in the MIAA Tournament and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.
>> He has also coached a total of 47 all-MIAA selections, including the MIAA Player and Pitcher of the Year in 2016.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
BARRY BUCCANEERS
>> The Buccaneers were picked 10th in the Sunshine State Conference preseason poll after going 18-31 (9-21 SSC) a season ago.
>> Last season, Barry's offense hit .282 with 23 home runs while the pitching staff finished with a 5.42 ERA 190 strikeouts.
>> They are 2-0 to start this season after a 16-0 win over Lane and an 8-1 decision against Tusculum.
>> Joe Stella is a top-returner for the squad after he started 40 of the 42 games he played in 2022 and hit .368 with a team-high 56 hits and 37 RBI. He also scored 24 runs, had nine doubles, and three home runs.
>> Pitcher Mike Reagan is back after leading the team in strikeouts last year with 60. He concluded the season with a 3-3 record and a 5.72 ERA in 56 2/3 innings of work with 13 total apperances and nine starts.
>> Juan Ranero is in his second stint leading the Buccaneers as he was the head coach from 2002-05 and then returned starting in 2017 ... he is 242-216-1 in 10 seasons at Barry.
>> Barry won the matchup against Washburn last season, 6-4.
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN SHARKS
>> The Sharks' 2022 season came to an end in the NCAA South Regional winner-take-all championship game, losing in a one-run 12 inning contest to Tampa. They finished with a 36-17 (17-13 SSC) record.
>> NSU was ranked No. 22 in the NCBWA Preseason Poll, second in the SSC Coaches Preseason Poll, and begin the week 1-1.
>> In 2022, the Sharks finished with a .304 batting average and 52 homers.
>> Their pitching staff had a collective 4.17 earned run average and 464 strikeouts.
>> A key returner to the offense is Duncan Pastore, who started all but one game last season and hit .370 with a .526 slugging percentage. He led the team with 71 hits, 57 RBI, and 14 doubles in addition to 47 runs and four home runs.
>> On the mound last season, Carlos Rey was 6-0 over the course of 51 1/3 innings scattered across 16 appearances (three starts)...he was second on the team in strikeouts with 76 and had a low 1.40 ERA.
>> Right behind Rey in ERA is Michael Dillon, who had a 1.73 ERA after making a team-high 21 appearances, all from the bullpen. He collected a team-best 14 saves and was 1-1 in an even 26 innings pitched.
>> Head Coach Laz Gutierrez is in his fourth season leading NSU ... he is 60-40 in that time.
>> The Ichabods opened the 2022 season against the Sharks and lost, 8-5.
PALM BEACH ATLANTIC SAILFISH
>> The Sailfish went 16-34 last year and were selected last in the 2023 conference preseason poll.
>> PBA is off to a 3-0 start after the opening weekend with a trio of one-run victories.
>> A season ago, the PBA offense hit .242 and recorded 27 longballs while the pitchers compiled a 5.47 ERA and 402 strikeouts.
>> Matty Warren is the top-returner on the offensive side ... he batted .261 and was second on the team in hits (52), runs (34), and RBI (27).
>> Dan Beebe led the team in wins, going 3-3 in 14 starts and had a 4.19 ERA with 37 K's.
>> Chris Seymour also returns after leading the squad with 56 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings spread out across 11 appearances.
>> Kent Bottenfield has been the head coach of Palm Beach Atlantic since 2012 and holds a career record of 225-263-2.
>> Washburn picked up its first win of the 2022 season with a 5-3, 10 inning affair at Palm Beach Atlantic.
>> The Ichabods trailed 3-0 heading to the seventh inning and then scored five unanswered runs to get the victory.
LYNN FIGHTING KNIGHTS
>> Lynn posted a 27-21 record overall in 2022, while finishing seventh in the SSC at 13-17 ... the team was voted sixth in this season's league preseason rankings.
>> In three games played, the Fighting Knights are 1-1-1...their tie came on a wild 20-20 game that was called after nine innings due to darkness.
>> The Knights had a .284 batting average to go with 34 homers in 2022 while the pitchers had a 4.66 ERA and 376 strikeouts.
>> The core of returners includes junior infielder AJ Orrico, who not only led the team with a .351 batting average last year, but finished third in the conference in walks (32) and ninth in on-base percentage (.444).
>> Pitchers Drew Dwyer and Drew Clark look to continue their success from last season... Clark was 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA in 13 starts and 27 2/3 innings of work.
>> Drew Dwyer led the club with 58 strikeouts and recorded two saves and had a 2-1 record in 15 appearances.
>> Since taking over the program in Sept. 2000, Rudy Garbalosa holds an all-time record of 619-476-3.
>> Lynn won last year's game against Washburn, 6-3.
PRO BODS
>> At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Gilliam was signed by the Kansas City Monarchs on July 23, 2021 and has been with them since.
>> After a season and a half as a Monarch, he has appeared in 40 games and has a 9-5 record with 88 strikeouts in 88.1 innings pitched.
>> In the 2022-23 offseason, Gilliam joined the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League ... he made 10 starts and had a 5-1 record, a 3.04 ERA, and 36 strikeouts.
>> Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli, who graduated from Washburn in 2022, spent the summer playing for the Trois-Rivières Aigles, an independent professional baseball team located in Quebec, Canada and in the Frontier League.
>> Clark-Chiapparelli resigned to play with Trois-Rivières in the 2023 season.
>> Joel Casillas, also a graduate of the 2022 Washburn baseball team, signed to play the 2023 season with the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican Baseball League in Monterrey, Mexico.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2023 season will be the 71st year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1298-1248-3 in that time.
>> There has been 31 seasons with 20+ wins; 21 seasons with 25+ wins; and 11 seasons with 30+ wins.
>> Washburn has earned 24 All-Region selections and nine All-America awards.
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD
>> The Ichabods will have their home opener on Feb. 15 against Minot State and stay at Falley Field through the weekend, hosting Concordia-St. Paul for four games Feb. 17-19.
