TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 18 Washburn Ichabod softball will begin its defense of the MIAA Regular Season Title this weekend when they host Newman and No. 6 Central Oklahoma in doubleheaders scheduled for 2 p.m. against the Jets on Friday and 1 p.m. against the Bronchos on Saturday. 

BLUE NOTES

• The Washburn Ichabods open MIAA play this weekend on March 10 and 11 when they will take on Newman and Central Oklahoma.
• The Ichabods (21-3) face Newman on Friday and No. 6-ranked Central Oklahoma on Saturday.
• The Ichabods have won 13 games in a row, which is the longest streak for Washburn since winning 24 in a row last season from March 25 to May 6. 
• Brenda Holaday is in her seventh season as the Ichabod softball head coach recording a 199-119 overall record going 91-43 in MIAA contests leading the Ichabods to their first two MIAA Regular Season titles (2018, 2022), and NCAA Central Regional berths in those years as well, the fourth and fifth in school history.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

• The Ichabods were 6-0 during the week in Clermont, Florida at The Spring Games, winning contests over Dominican University of New York, Bridgeport, Tiffin University, Saint Anselm College, Notre Dame College and California University of Pennsylvania.
• The Ichabods outscored opponents in Florida 36-10 and out-hit them 55-28.
• Jaycee Ginter was a perfect 3-0 in the circle with a .608 earned run average in three starts for the Ichabods and went all the way for a complete game in all three. She struck out 24 batters while only walking four. She earned her second save of the season against Notre Dame College after throwing one shutout inning. At the plate she hit her second home run of the season against Tiffin. 
• Paige Robbins hit safely in all six games last week, racking up a total of 10 hits  with four multi-hit contests. Against Bridgeport she hit two triples becoming the first Ichabod to do so since Katie Schroder against Missouri Southern in 2014. She scored at least one run in all six games and has recorded a hit in 11 of her last 13 games.
• Jaden LaBarge had two games with three hits, going 3-4 against Bridgeport and Saint Anselm College. She drove in three runs against the Hawks and scored two runs.
• Danielle Schlader had two multi-hit games last week and drove in six total runs. Including a three RBI performance against Bridgeport with two doubles, both new career highs. 
• Marrit Mead ended the week with three straight multi-hit games. She had a 13 game hit streak snapped against Dominican University but has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games, with multi-hit games in six of the last nine. 
• As a team the Ichabods struck out only eight times across the weekend, in the circle Washburn's pitchers struck out a combined 49 hitters. 
• Washburn has held opponents to one or fewer runs in three straight games heading into the weekend, the second time this season they have done so. 

BLUE NOTES CONT.

• The No. 18-ranked Washburn Ichabods will return to home and open up MIAA play this weekend against Newman and Central Oklahoma.
• The Ichabods are ranked No. 18 in the NFCA Top 25 poll for a second consecutive week after moving up from No. 20. 
• This weekend, Washburn will face its first top-25 opponent when the face the No. 6 Bronchos. 
• The Ichabods (21-3) are coming off a 6-0 week at The Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., and have won 13 straight contests. 
• The Ichabods finished the 2022 season with a 45-15 mark going 24-2 in the MIAA winning their fourth MIAA regular season title while earning an at-large bid for their fifth NCAA postseason tournament with a runner-up finish at the MIAA Championship Tournament.
• Washburn was tabbed second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches poll behind the defending NCAA Division II Champion Rogers State, who finished second in the MIAA regular season standings and topped the Ichabods in the MIAA Tournament Championship game.
• In 2022, the Ichabods recorded their first 40-win season since 2002 when the Ichabods went 48-11 giving the Ichabods four seasons with at least 40 wins - 41 (1999), 48 (2002) and 50 (1986) and 2022's 45 wins.

ICHABOD BITS

• Marrit Mead is tied for first in the nation with 38 hits on the season 
• Jaycee Ginter is first in the nation with 15 wins in the circle, she is second in strikeouts with 140.
• The Ichabods pitching staff has a 1.37 ERA which is first in the MIAA and 10th in the nation.
• Washburn leads the MIAA in hits as a team this season with 181, they are second in doubles with 38.
• Washburn's batting average as a team this season is .286.
• The Ichabods have gone 6-0 when hitting at least one home run.
• This season the Ichabods have outscored opponents in every inning except the seventh where they have been outscored 5-3. Overall Washburn has outscored opponents 119-39.
• When Washburn scores first they are 16-0.
• When the Ichabods lead after the the third inning they are 14-0.

LAST TIME OUT
CLERMONT, Fla. -- No. 18 Washburn made the most of its time in the Sunshine State, finishing off its trip to Florida with a 2-1 win over Notre Dame College (Ohio) (2-3) and by defeating California University of Pennsylvania (6-6) 4-1. The Ichabods end The Spring Games with a 6-0 record and have an overall win streak of 13 games.  
Game one: Washburn 2, Notre Dame College 1 

Washburn will take on Newman on Friday at Gahnstrom Field beginning at 2 p.m. in the Ichabods MIAA opener.  

Sadie Walker started in the circle for Washburn and sat down the Falcons in order to begin the game. She finished the game throwing five innings, allowing only one run on four hits with seven strikeouts. 

Notre Dame College got its one run in the second inning on a leadoff walk, single, and two fielders choices to bring the runner home.  

The Ichabods offense managed only three hits in the first five innings, none for extra bases. In the top of the sixth Sheyenne Cheek took over on the mound and threw a scoreless inning, striking out two batters in the process.  

Paige Robbins led off the bottom of the sixth with a single into center field and moved to second on a sac bunt from Hadley Kerschen. With two outs Marrit Mead singled up the middle to bring Robbins home and tie the game. Two pitches later Jaden LaBarge hit a line drive into left field for a double, scoring Mead to take the lead.  

Jaycee Ginter came on to pitch the top of the seventh and needed only eight pitches to retire the Falcons for the game. Cheek earned the win in the game, moving to 3-0 on the season.  

Game two: Washburn 4, California University of Pennsylvania 1  

Ginter got the start in game two and she would not relinquish that spot for the entire game. She went all seven allowing only four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. One run was scored during that time but it was not charged to Ginter.  

The Ichabods did not have trouble reaching base, with hits in four of the first five innings, but had no runs to show for it. Washburn got three hits in the second inning alone but were not able to break the scoreless tie.  

In the top of the sixth the Ichabods were able to break through, starting with Ellington Hogle reaching base on an error. Kaylee Wagner singled and Hogle moved to third. With two outs Robbins singled to the left side, scoring Hogle and breaking the tie.  

Kerschen followed suit, singling to center field and scoring Allison Hemsath who pinch-ran for Wagner. Both runners moved up a base and Ginter was awarded first on catcher's interference. Mead came through with an extra runner in scoring position, hitting a clean single to center field to score two more runs and make it a 4-0 game. 

The Vulcans got one run back in the sixth on an error by the Ichabods followed by a double into center field. That was all they could get, and in the seventh Ginter struck out the side allowing just one hit to end the game 4-1.  

Ginter won her 15th game in the circle and is now 15-1 on the season. Kerschen finished with three hits for Washburn. Robbins, Mead and Wagner each had two of the Ichabods' 10 total hits. 

OPPONENT QUICK SCOUT
Newman Jets

• The Newman Jets are 6-12 this season and were picked to finish 13th in the MIAA preseason coaches poll.
• The Jets have dropped their last three contests including two losses to East Central in the teams only home games so far in the season. They are 2-2 on the road.
• Newman has made two trips to Topeka so far in 2023, playing six total games and going 3-3 in tournaments.
• Newman hits .275 as a team while opponents are hitting .303 on the Jets who have a staff ERA of 5.90
• Madison Dewitt leads the staff with a 2-3 record and a 3.88 ERA, she has 25 strikeouts on the season
• Gianna Navarro and Gianna De Luca-Paape are the Jets two regular position players hitting above .300 on the season, they carry averages of .315 and .314 respectively
• Andrea Gustafson is in her fourth season leading the Jets with a record of 39-89
• The Ichabods are 14-2 all-time against the Jets with wins in the last seven contests. 

Central Oklahoma Bronchos

• The No. 6 Bronchos are 14-3 in 2023 after being picked to finish third in the MIAA preseason coaches poll
• Central Oklahoma carries an eight game winning streak into Friday's matchup with Emporia before playing Washburn.
• The Bronchos are 1-0 in true road games this season. 
• Central Oklahoma hits .324 as a team while opponents hit only .262 against them. 
• The Bronchos pitching staff carries an ERA of 3.59 into the weekend 
• Five players are hitting above .300 for Central Oklahoma led by Emily Deramus who is hitting .414 and slugging .845 with five home runs on the season.
• Cody White is in his 10th season leading the Bronchos where he has a 363-140 record 
• Washburn is 14-26 all-time against Central Oklahoma with the Bronchos winning the last five contests 

HEAD COACH BRENDA HOLADAY

• is 199-119 in her seventh season as the Ichabod head softball coach.
• in six seasons under Holaday, Washburn has had 29 all-MIAA picks, one MIAA player of the year, one MIAA Pitcher of the Year, two MIAA Freshmen of the year and 14 all-region selections and five All-American picks.
• coached 19 seasons at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka compiling a 351-93 record.
• led the Junior Blues to three 6A state championships as well as winning 14 league championships earning 16 6A state tournament berths, five second-place state finishes and three third-place state finishes and was inducted into the Washburn Rural High School Hall of Fame in 2018.
• was named the Centennial League Coach of the Year and City Coach of the Year nine different times earning the Midwest Sectional Coach of the Year in 2011 and the 6A Kansas Coach of the year two times in 2008 and 2011 and was named the overall Kansas Coach of the Year in 2011.
• while at Washburn Rural, she coached more than 40 players who have gone on to play college softball including three at the NCAA Division I level including former Ichabod head softball coach Lisa Carey, the winningest coach by wins in program history.

WASHBURN ICHABOD SOFTBALL HISTORY

• The Ichabods are 1268-940-1 in their 53rd year of softball. 
• The Ichabods have made five NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2006, 2008, 2018, 2022). 
• Washburn won the 2002, 2018 and 2022 regular season MIAA titles.

UP NEXT

• Washburn will host Lincoln and the University of Central Missouri in two weeks, March 25-26.