TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball plays a midweek game against Northwest Missouri State on the road Wednesday at 3 p.m. before hosting Rogers State for a three-game series beginning Thursday at 3 p.m. to finish up the month of March.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn baseball begins a four-day stretch of games starting on the road against Northwest Missouri and into a three-game series with Rogers State beginning on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Falley Field.
>> Last time out the Ichabods fell 11-8 on the road to No. 8 Missouri Southern in the final game of a three-game series.
>> Washburn is now 16-12 overall on the year and 10-6 inside the MIAA. They are 7-4 at Falley Field and 8-8 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 Bearcats enter the game with a 12-17 recoved on the year and have gone 4-12 in the MIAA while the Hillcats are 16-11 overall and 8-8 inside the conference.
>> 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 takes a break from MIAA action and heads to Rockhurst to face the Hawks at 3 p.m. on April 2.
>> 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 28 games Washburn is scoring 9.18 runs per game while allowing 7.57.
>> The Ichabods are 7-4 at Falley Field, 8-8 in road contests and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .325 with a .412 OB% and are slugging .575 as a team. They have 51 home runs and have drawn 127 walks.
>> Washburn's pitching staff has an ERA of 7.28 this season in 237.1 IP. They have struck out 219 batters while allowing 257 hits and issuing 162 walks.
>> The Ichabods have a .966 fielding percentage with 34 errors on the year and have turned 23 double plays.
>> On the basepaths Washburn has stolen 30 bases on 39 attempts while opponents have 38 stolen bases and have been thrown out 11 times.
>> The Ichabod hitters have collected 573 total bases while opponents are at 457 this year.
STACKING THE STATS
>> The Ichabods are fourth in the nation in home runs per game with an average of 1.82 balls leaving the yard per game on the year.
>> In overall long balls the Ichabods are third in the nation with 51 blasts.
>> The Ichabods are tied for 3rd in the nation and are first in the conference in doubles with 82 hits going for two bases on the year.
>> Washburn is 12th in the nation in hits on the year with 324 total knocks, third most in the conference.
>> The Ichabods are 5th in the nation and second in the conference with a .575 SLG% on the year.
>> Scoring 9.2 runs per game WU is 15th in the nation and second in the MIAA in that department.
>> With a batting average of .325 as a team Washburn is 23rd in the nation and second in the MIAA at racking up hits.
>> Washburn is fourth in the MIAA and 27th in the nation turning 23 double plays on the year.
>> The Ichabod pitching staff averages 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings, 82nd most in the nation and eighth in the MIAA.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Payton McHarg has started and played in all 28 games for the Ichabods hitting .325 with a 1.242 OPS and a team-high 13 home runs and 37 RBI. He has scored 32 runs and has 38 total hits. He leads the nation in home runs and is 19th in slugging, 4th in the MIAA.
>> Cash Jay is second on the team hitting .373 in 26 games played with 25 starts. He leads the team with a 1.252 OPS and 12 doubles. He also has 10 home runs and has driven in 32. He is ninth in the nation and second in the MIAA in doubles, 13th in the nation and second in the conference in home runs and 5th in the MIAA in SLG%.
>> Connor Scott leads the team hitting .398 on the year in 26 games played with 23 starts. He has a 1.084 OPS and a team-high nine stolen bases to pair with three home runs. He is fifth in the MIAA in batting average.
>> Cale Savage has the fourth highest OPS on the squad at 1.081 with 34 hits and seven home runs with starts in all 28 games this season. He leads the team drawing 26 walks on the year. He is 22nd in the nation in walks and fourth in the conference.
>> Hayden Priest has started in 25 of the 26 games he has appeared in and is hitting .319 on the year with a .888 OPS. He has 30 hits driving in 32 runs and has only struck out 11 times in 94 at bats.
>> Jett Buck is hitting .333 in 25 appearances and 24 starts this season. He has 32 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.
>> Cal Watkins has played in 21 games and made 18 starts hitting .297 with 13 RBI and seven doubles. He has hit safely in his last six games and has multi-hit games in his last five.
>> Trevor McCollum has a .254 average in 24 games played with 18 starts. He leads the team with two triples and has also worked 14 walks, second most on the team.
ON THE MOUND
>> Seventeen players have taken the mound this season for Washburn.
>> Cooper Carlgren leads the Ichabods with 36.2 innings across eight starts this season. He has a 6.38 ERA and a 3-1 record along with tying the team-high striking out 41. Hitters have only a .236 batting average against him. He is tied for fifth in the MIAA in strikeouts and 8th in hits per nine innings.
>> Caden Bressler has thrown 25.1 innings in nine outings this season, with three starts and six bullpen calls. He has a 3.91 ERA, 2-2 record and 12 strikeouts with 23 hits allowed. He leads the team with a pair of saves.
>> Griffin Huiatt is second on the Ichabods throwing 34.1 innings this season in nine appearances with five starts. He has a 1-2 record and is tied for the team-lead with 41 strikeouts. He is fourth in the MIAA in K's per nine and is tied for fifth in total strikeouts.
>> Chase Torkelson has thrown 33.2 innings across eight starts this season with a 3-0 record and a 6.42 ERA. He has struck out 21 batters and walked 20 hitters
>> Grant Zwald has made five appearances in relief this season and has a team-low 3.75 ERA with 15 strikeouts, 12 walks and a save.
>> Charlie Kiefer is 2-1 this season throwing in nine games total with one start. He has a 6.75 ERA in 14.2 innings of work. He has struck out eight batters.
>> Fidel Hatch has thrown in nine games this season making one start with a 7.32 ERA. In 19.2 innings he has struck out 13 while giving up 21 hits.
>> Cole Warner has thrown 10.1 innings in nine appearances out of the bullpen with a 6.97 ERA and a 1-0 record. He has struck out 12 on the year and allowed 12 hits.
IN THE FIELD
>> Jett Buck leads the team with 57 assists, Cal Watkins is close behind with 54 on the year.
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 52 putouts, Trevor McCollum has 36.
>> 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 240-208 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
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS
>> The Bearcats are 12-17 on the year overall and are 4-12 in the MIAA after losing a series to Rogers State 2-1 over the weekend. They won the final game 11-9 on March 23.
>> They have gone 4-3 at the Bearcat Baseball Field.
>> A season ago they went 13-34 overall with a 10-23 record inside of the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament.
>> Northwest Missouri's offense is hitting .298 on the year with a .415 OB%, 427 SLG% and 19 home runs.
>> Ryan Williams leads the team hitting .389 and with a 1.107 OPS in 29 starts and appearances. He has driven in 22 runs with a team-high 22 walks.
>> Caden Diel is second on the team hitting .366 in 23 games played with 20 starts. He has a .988 OPS with 17 RBI and a team-high 12 stolen bases.
>> On the mound, Northwest Missouri State's staff has a 7.12 ERA in 237.1 innings with 224 strikeouts and 145 walks issued.
>> Jacob Gajic has a 5.90 ERA in 29 innings pitched across 12 appearances. He has a 2-3 record with a team-high three saves and has struck out 33 batters.
>> Casey Stalzer has made eight starts for a team-high 39.2 innings pitched. He has struck out 54 batters while giving up 53 hits. He has a 3-3 record and a 7.03 ERA.
HEAD COACH DARIN LOE
>> Is in his 25th season at the helm of the Northwest Missouri State baseball program
>> guided the Bearcats to the MIAA regular season title in 2018. It marked the first MIAA title for Northwest since the 1983 season
>> served three seasons as the head coach at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan. There, he led the Wildcats to HAAC tournament championships in 1997 and 1998
>> first head coaching gig came at Missouri Valley College in Marshall back in 1994. He spent three years there and led the Vikings to their first HAAC tournament appearance in the process.
SERIES HISTORY
>> Tuesday's game will be the 142nd game between Northwest Missouri State and Washburn all-time with the Ichabods leading the series 76-65.
>> The first game between the two programs came on April 6, 1971 and was a 6-1 win for Washburn in Maryville, Mo.
>> The Ichabods are 37-34 against Northwest Missouri at Bearcat Baseball Field.
>> In the first game this season Washburn won 11-0 in Topeka in seven innings. The Ichabods have won the last five games in the series and 11 of the last 12.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
ROGERS STATE HILLCATS
>> The Hillcats are 16-1 on the year overall and are 8-8 in the MIAA after winning last weekend's series over Northwest Missouri 2-1. They take on No. 8 Missouri Southern in a midweek game on Tuesday.
>> They have gone 5-2 in games away from the Diamond Sports Complex.
>> A season ago they went 26-2 overall with a 14-19 record inside of the MIAA, ending the season in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
>> Rogers State's offense is hitting .277 on the year with a .397 OB%, 369 SLG% and nine home runs.
>> Jake Mitchell leads the Hillcats offense hitting .321 on the year with a .974 OPS in 26 games started. He is tied for the team lead with three home runs and has 12 RBI. He also leads the team with seven stolen bases.
>> Matthew Delgado is hitting .315 on the year with a .787 OPS in 24 games played with 23 starts. He leads the team driving in 23 runs.
>> On the mound, Rogers State's staff has a 5.48 ERA in 233.1 innings with 202 strikeouts and 119 walks issued.
>> Blake Johnson has a 4.46 ERA this season in eight starts and a 1-1 record. He is second on the team throwing 36.1 innings on the year and has struck out 36 batters and walked 14.
>> Landon Riley has a 1.45 ERA in 18.2 innings across 12 appearances out of the bullpen. He has a 1-0 record and has struck out 13 batters.
>> Andres De Leon has a team-low 1.38 ERA in four appearances throwing 13.0 innings with a 2-1 record. He has struck out 18 batters and walked eight.
HEAD COACH CHRIS KLIMAS
>> Chris Klimas is in his 10th season as the head coach at Rogers State.
>> has guided the Hillcats to four-consecutive 25-plus win seasons, which culminated with an NCAA-era best 36 wins in 2019
>> served as the associate head baseball coach at OBU from 2010-2014 and prior to 2010, he spent nine years as the assistant coach for the Bison
>> was a two-year starting catcher for the Bison from 1999-2001 and graduated from OBU in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
SERIES HISTORY
>> This week's series will be the 10th, 11th and 12th games between Washburn and Rogers State in program history with the Ichabods leading all-time 5-4.
>> The first game between the two programs came on April 17, 2021 and was a 8-2 win for Washburn in Topeka.
>> The Ichabods are 4-2 against the Hillcats at Falley Field.
>> Last season Washburn won the series against Rogers State 2-1 in Topeka.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cale Savage is one RBI away from 100 in his career, he is currently tied for fifth in program history with 25 home runs and tied for 12th in RBI.
>> Cal Watkins is three RBI from 75 with the Ichabods, he is 18th in program history in total hits with 165.
>> Payton McHarg is tied for 7th in program history for the most home runs in a season.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2024 season will be the 72nd year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1343-1279-3 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 goes outside the conference to face Rockhurst in Kansas City, Mo. on Tuesday, April 2 at 3 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.
