TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball heads back to MIAA action this weekend with a three-game series against No. 8 Missouri Southern beginning on Friday at 6 p.m.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn baseball heads back to MIAA play on the road for a three-game series with No. 8 Missouri Southern beginning on Friday at 6 p.m.
>> Last time out the Ichabods won a 12-4 neutral field game over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
>> Washburn is now 15-10 overall on the year and 9-4 inside the MIAA. They are 7-4 at Falley Field and 7-6 on the road and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> WU remains ranked No. 10 in the NCBWA Central Region rankings for a second straight week.
>> The Lions are 24-5 on the year and 11-2 in the MIAA after a 10-8 win over Drury on Tuesday evening.
>> The Ichabods are coming off a second straight 30-win season in 2023 where they went 30-22 (21-12 MIAA) and finished tied for third in the MIAA Regular Season.
>> Washburn stays on the road heading to Northwest Missouri for a mid-week contest with them on Tuesday.
>> In the 2024 MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll, the Ichabods were picked fourth after finising tied for third in the 2023 regular season.
>> Washburn's roster consists of 26 returners from a season ago along with 25 newcomers broken down between 15 transfers and 10 true freshmen.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
>> Through 25 games Washburn is scoring 9.68 runs per game while allowing 7.72.
>> The Ichabods are 7-4 at Falley Field, 7-6 in road contests and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .328 with a .419 OB% and are slugging .599 as a team. They have 51 home runs and have drawn 119 walks.
>> Washburn's pitching staff has an ERA of 7.33 this season in 212.1 IP. They have struck out 199 batters while allowing 226 hits and issuing 150 walks.
>> The Ichabods have a .964 fielding percentage with 33 errors on the year and have turned 18 double plays.
>> On the basepaths Washburn has stolen 28 bases on 34 attempts while opponents have 37 stolen bases and have been thrown out 11 times.
>> The Ichabod hitters have collected 531 total bases while opponents are at 399 this year.
STACKING THE STATS
>> The Ichabods are third in the nation in home runs per game with an average of 2.04 balls leaving the yard per game on the year. They are second in the nation to only Central Missouri hitting 51 home runs on the year.
>> The Ichabods are tied for 4th in the nation and are first in the conference in doubles with 73 hits going for two bases on the year.
>> Washburn is 13th in the nation in hits on the year with 291 total knocks, third most in the conference.
>> The Ichabods are 4th in the nation and second in the conference with a .599 SLG% on the year.
>> Scoring 9.7 runs per game WU is 10th in the nation and second in the MIAA in that department.
>> With a batting average of .328 as a team Washburn is 22nd in the nation and second in the MIAA at racking up hits.
>> Washburn is fifth in the MIAA and 45th in the nation turning 18 double plays on the year.
>> The Ichabod pitching staff averages 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings, 78th most in the nation and seventh in the MIAA.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Payton McHarg has started and played in all 25 games and leads the Ichabods with a 1.361 OPS and .389 batting average. He also leads the team with 13 home runs, 37 RBI and 31 runs scored. He is 1st in the nation in home runs, 4th in total bases, 7th in slugging and 10th in RBI.
>> Cash Jay is hitting .286 on the year with a 1.333 OPS, both second on the team. He has started 22 games and played in 23. He is second on the team with 10 home runs and 30 RBI while leading the team with 11 doubles. He is 12th in the nation and second in the MIAA in doubles, 7th in the nation in homers and 10th in SLG%.
>> Hayden Priest has started in 22 of the 23 games he has appeared in and is hitting .346 on the year with a .69 OPS. He has 28 hits driving in 30 runs and has only struck out 10 times in 81 at bats.
>> Connor Scott is tied for second on the team hitting .286 on the year with a 1.099 OPS in 23 games with 20 starts. He has driven in 15 runs with three home runs and leads the team with seven stolen bases.
>> Cale Savage has the third highest OPS on the squad at 1.131 with 32 hits and seven home runs with starts in all 25 games this season. He leads the team drawing 22 walks on the year. He is fifth in the MIAA in walks and seventh in homers.
>> Jett Buck is hitting .345 with 22 appearances and 21 starts this season. He has 29 hits, nine doubles, a triple, four home runs and four stolen bases.
>> Easton Bruce has played in 17 games and started 16 while hitting .314 on the year with one home run and nine RBI from the outfield.
>> Ike Book has made 16 starts and played in 21 games hitting .271 driving in five runs with a .368 OB%.
>> Trevor McCollum has a .259 average in 21 games played with 16 starts. He leads the team with two triples and has also worked 12 walks, tied for second most on the team.
ON THE MOUND
>> Seventeen players have taken the mound this season for Washburn.
>> Chase Torkelson leads the team with 32 innings pitched over seven starts. He has a 5.63 ERA with a 3-0 record while striking out 20 batters and allowing 32 hits. He has thrown at least five innings in each of his last three outings.
>> Cooper Carlgren has made seven starts this season throwing 30.2 innings with a 7.04 ERA and a 3-1 record. He is second on the team with 36 strikeouts while walking 16. Opponents hit .239 against him. He is seventh in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings at 8.22 and ninth in strikeouts.
>> Griffin Huiatt has made eight appearances with five starts throwing 30.2 innings with a 7.63 ERA and 1-2 record. He leads the team with 38 strikeouts while walking 21. He has made one save. He is fifth in the MIAA in strikeouts.
>> Caden Bressler has thrown 21.0 innings in seven outings this season, with two starts and five bullpen calls. He has a 3.43 ERA, 2-1 record and 12 strikeouts with 17 hits allowed. He leads the team with a pair of saves.
>> Grant Zwald has made five appearances in relief this season and has a 3.75 ERA with 15 strikeouts, 12 walks and a save.
>> Charlie Kiefer is 2-1 this season throwing in eight games total with one start. He has a 5.14 ERA in 14.0 innings of work. He has struck out eight batters.
>> Fidel Hatch has thrown in seven games this season making one start with a 5.72 ERA. In 16.0 innings he has struck out 13 while giving up 17 hits.
>> Cole Warner has thrown 9.0 innings in eight appearances out of the bullpen with a 6.00 ERA and a 1-0 record. He has struck out 10 on the year and allowed 10 hits.
IN THE FIELD
>> Jett Buck leads the team with 47 assists, Cal Watkins is close behind with 46 on the year.
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 42 putouts, Trevor McCollum has 35.
>> Hayden Priest has thrown out eight baserunners from behind the plate.
HEAD COACH HARLEY DOUGLAS
>> Former Washburn All-MIAA outfielder Harley Douglas enters his 10th season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program in 2024.
>> In nine plus seasons, Douglas carries an all-time record of 239-206 with five appearances in the MIAA Tournament and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.
>> He has also coached a total of 54 all-MIAA selections, including the MIAA Player and Pitcher of the Year in 2016.
>> Prior to returning to his alma mater in 2012 he was the head coach at St. Marys HS from 2003-06 and at Rossville HS from 2007-10.
>> Douglas is a two-time Washburn graduate, receiving his Exercise Physiology degree in 2002 before earning an Education degree in 2004. He also earned a Master's Degree in Adaptive Special Education from Emporia State in 2010.
ASSISTANT COACHES
>> Connor Crimmins is in his sixth season with the Ichabods after spending the prior two seasons on Brad Hill's Kansas State staff serving as a graduate assistant
>> While at Washburn, Crimmins played both football and baseball, finishing his career on the diamond top 10 in sacrifice flies (4th/11), doubles (6th/38) and RBI (t-7th/132), while having the 12th-most at-bats (575).
>> He graduated from Washburn in 2016 with his bachelor's and earned his master's in college student development and counseling from K-State.
>> Rane Pfeifer joins the Ichabod coaching staff in 2024 after wrapping up a three-year career with Washburn in 2023
>> He finished his career second all-time in opponent batting average (.218), third in games started (36), fourth in strikeouts (210) and 19th in innings pitched (165.2)
>> Pfeifer graduated from Washburn with a bachelor's degree in business management in May 2022
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE LIONS
>> The Lions are 24-5 on the year overall and 11-2 inside the MIAA after a 10-8 non-conference win over Drury on Tuesday afternoon.
>> MSSU is 15-0 at Warren Turner Field this season.
>> A season ago they went 45-17 overall and 25-8 in the MIAA, advancing to the MIAA Championship and to the NCAA Central Region Championship.
>> Missouri Southern's offense is hitting .313 on the year with a .438 OB%, .534 SLG% and 43 home runs.
>> Henry Kusiak leads the Lions offensively with a .421 average playing and starting in all 29 games. He has a team-high 1.359 OPS along with nine home runs and has driven in 38.
>> Will Doherty is tied for the team lead with 38 runs driven in and is hitting .362 while also starting all 29 games. He has a 1.128 OPS and has 10 doubles on the year.
>> Drew Townsend has also started in all 29 games and has a .330 average and 1.051 OPS. He has five home runs and leads the team with five stolen bases.
>> On the mound, Missouri Southern's staff has a 4.49 ERA in 246.1 innings with 262 strikeouts and 113 walks issued.
>> Cole Gayman has a 6-0 record in seven starts with 41.2 innings pitched and a 1.51 ERA. He has struck out 45 batters and allowed just 21 hits on the year. He is 9th in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings, 19th in strikeouts and 15th in ERA.
>> Cale McCallister has a 3.00 ERA and 3-1 record in seven starts across 36.0 innings. He has struck out 36 batters and walked just seven on the year. He is 4th in the MIAA in ERA.
>> Kyle Moore has thrown in 13 games out of the bullpen with a 2-0 record and a 4.56 ERA across 23.2 innings. He has 22 strikeouts and 21 hits allowed.
HEAD COACH BRYCE DARNELL
>> begins his 17th season as head coach at Missouri Southern in 2024
>> In 16 seasons leading the Lions, Darnell has a career record of 479-334. His 479 wins rank 7th-best in MIAA history
>> A 1997 graduate of Missouri Southern, Darnell had been the head baseball coach at Webb City High School for eight years
>> A three-year player for the Lions from 1994-1996, Darnell transferred to Southern after a year at the University of Minnesota
SERIES HISTORY
>> This weekend's contests will be the 108th, 109th and 110th meetings between Washburn and Missouri Southern with the Lions leading the all-time series 68-39.
>> The first game between the two programs came on March 20, 1990 in Joplin and was a 11-2 win for Missouri Southern.
>> The Ichabods are 12-43 against the Lions at Warren Turner Field.
>>Last season Missouri Southern won three of four contests between the two teams, with three coming at Falley Field.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cale Savage is three RBI away from 100 in his career, he is currently tied for fifth in program history with 25 home runs.
>> Connor Scott needs one more hit to reach 100 at Washburn, he is also two RBI away from 50.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2024 season will be the 72nd year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1342-1277-3 in that time.
>> There has been 33 seasons with 20+ wins; 23 seasons with 25+ wins; and 12 seasons with 30+ wins.
>> Washburn has earned 25 All-Region selections and nine All-America awards.
ON DECK
>> Washburn stays east and will head to Maryville, Mo. to take on Northwest Missouri in a one-game midweek contest on Tuesday, March 26 at 2 p.m.
>> Senior day for the Ichabods will be on Sunday, April 21 against Central Oklahoma.
>> The MIAA Tournament first round will begin on campus sites on Friday, May 3 and run until May 5 if needed.
