• The No. 17-ranked Washburn Ichabod softball team returns to Gahnstrom Field for a pair of MIAA doubleheaders facing Fort Hays State on Friday and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
• The Ichabods (29-7, 8-4 MIAA) split two MIAA twinbills over the weekend at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western.
• Brenda Holaday is in her seventh season as the Ichabod softball head coach recording a 207-123 overall record going 93-45 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.
• With her 207 wins at Washburn, Holaday has passed Kelly Osborn (203) and needs two wins to tie and three to top Kim Newbern (209) on the all-time wins chart. Lisa Carey is the all-time winningest coach by victories at 256.
• Holaday's next MIAA win will give her 100 for her Ichabod career as she enters the weekend 99-47.
• The Ichabods are looking for their 19th, 30-win season in program history and their third under Holaday.
• The Ichabods finished the 2022 season with a 45-15 mark going 24-2 in the MIAA winning their third 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. • Marrit Mead is 11th in the nation in hits with 53.
• Jaycee Ginter is fourth in the nation with 20 wins in the circle, she is third in strikeouts with 194. Ginter is second in the nation in pitching appearances with 32. On the active career charts, Ginter is 10th in strikeouts with 584.
• As a team the Ichabods are fifth in fielding percentage (.976), 16th in W/L percentage (.806) and 19th in WHIP (1.09).
• The Ichabods have gone 10-1 when hitting at least one home run.
• This season the Ichabods have outscored opponents in every inning except the third (19 to 18) and the seventh (10 to 4). Overall Washburn has outscored opponents 183 to 85.
• When Washburn scores first they are 21-4 and 17-4 when they score in the first inning.
• When the Ichabods lead after the fourth inning they are 22-1 and 18-0 when leading after the fifth inning and 21-0 when leading after the sixth inning. • The Ichabods were 2-2 last week after splitting a pair of doubleheaders at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western.
• The Ichabods were limited to a season-low two hits in the second game at Missouri Western in the 5-1 loss.
• Marrit Mead and Jaycee Ginter each batted .385 going 5 of 13 over the weekend.
• Ginter drove in a team-high 7 RBI.
• Sadie Walker was 1-0 with a 2.33 ERA in two starts …Ginter struck out 20 batters in 15 innings of work. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The No. 15 Washburn Ichabods split a doubleheader at Missouri Western on Sunday taking the opener 8-3 before falling 5-1 in the nightcap.
Game 1 – WU 8, MWSU 3
The Ichabods (29-7, 8-4 MIAA) jumped on the board in the top of the first when Jayce Ginter homered to left scoring Marrit Mead who walked to start the game, but the lead was short-lived because the Griffons came back in the bottom of the frame tying the score at 2-2.
Both teams were scoreless until the top of the sixth when Paige Robbins singled to left driving in Allison Hemsath who entered as a pinch runner after Jaden LaBarge connected on a one out double. However for the second time in the game, the Griffons tied the score at 3-3.
In the seventh, the Ichabods broke the game open with five runs leading to the win. Mead led off the inning with a single and then after swiping second, she would come around to score when Kerschen singled to left. Ginter then drew a walk and Gracie Gallagher entered as a pinch runner. With two outs, Robbins drew a walk loading the bases. After an error by the Griffons sending Gallagher and Kerschen home, Kaylee Wagner singled to right scoring Autymn Schreiner and Robbins home putting the Ichabods up 8-3.
The Griffons left one on base in the seventh as the Ichabods picked up the win.
Mead and Kerschen each had two hits to lead the Ichabods and Ginter and Wagner each drove in two.
Ginter struck out 10 in the win improving to 19-3 on the season.
Game 2 – MWSU 5, WU 1
After the Ichabods recorded two hits in their first at bat to take a 1-0 lead courtesy of a double by Ginter scoring Kerschen who singled, Washburn was held without a hit for the rest of the game as the Griffons scored a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth and the sixth for the win to split the series.
Sheyenne Cheek took the loss in the circle striking out two. 
  FORT HAYS STATE
• The Tigers are 24-13 and 6-4 in the MIAA this season.
• Last weekend the Tigers swept Pittsburg State on April 1 before being swept by Missouri Southern the following day.
• The Ichabods are 46-37 all-time against the Tigers winning the last two sweeping a doubleheader in Hays last season. Overall the ichabods have won eight of the last 10.
 
NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
• The Lopers are 13-21 this season and 4-6 in the MIAA.
• Last weekend the Lopers lost 3 of 4 games after being swept by Missouri Southern and splitting with Pittsburg State.
• The Lopers will face Emporia State on April 7 before facing the Ichabods the following day.
• The Ichabods trail the all-time series with Nebraska-Kearney 30-27 but have won 10 of the last 11 games against the Lopers.
  • is 207-123 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. • The Ichabods are 1,274-942-1 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.