TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball will play four games in four days beginning with a road series against Missouri Western State on Saturday through Monday for the first three and hosting Northwest Missouri State at home at 3 p.m. on Tuesday to wrap it up.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn baseball plays four games in four days beginning with a three-game road series against Missouri Western State and finishes the quartet of games against Northwest Missouri State at home on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
>> Last time out the Ichabods broke a program record hitting 10 home runs in an 18-4 series deciding win over Emporia State last Sunday.
>> Washburn is now 9-8 overall on the year and 4-2 inside the MIAA. They are 5-2 at Falley Field and 4-6 on the road.
>> Missouri Western State is 12-6 on the year overall and 4-2 in the MIAA coming off a 7-1 win over Benedictine College on March 5 for its third straight victory.
>> Northwest Missouri State is 8-10 on the year and 1-5 in the MIAA after being swept in a three-game series with Pittsburg State. They will take on No. 3 Central Missouri in three games over the weekend before taking on the Ichabods.
>> 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 will stay at home next weekend hosting Central Missouri for three games beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.
>> 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 17 games Washburn is scoring 10.0 runs per game while allowing 8.47.
>> The Ichabods are 5-2 at Falley Field, 4-6 in road contests and have not played a neutral field game.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .334 with a .420 OB% and are slugging .643 as a team. They have 41 home runs and have drawn 78 walks.
>> Washburn's pitching staff has an ERA of 7.98 this season in 144.1 IP. They have struck out 154 batters while allowing 164 hits and issuing 109 walks.
>> The Ichabods have a .959 fielding percentage with 25 errors on the year and have turned 14 double plays.
>> On the basepaths Washburn has stolen 18 bases on 23 attempts while opponents have 28 stolen bases and have been thrown out eight times.
>> The Ichabod hitters have collected 392 total bases while opponents are at 290 this year.
STACKING THE STATS
>> The Ichabods are first in the nation in home runs per game with an average of 2.41 balls leaving the yard per game on the year. They are second in the nation to only Central Missouri hitting 41 home runs on the year.
>> The Ichabods are tied for 5th in the nation and are first in the conference in doubles with 51 hits going for two bases on the year.
>> Washburn is also 17th in the nation in hits on the year with 204, fifth most in the conference.
>> The Ichabods are 4th in the nation and second in the conference with a .643 SLG% on the year.
>> Scoring 10 runs per game WU is 13th in the nation and second in the MIAA in that department.
>> With a batting average of .334 as a team Washburn is 18th in the nation and second in the MIAA at racking up hits.
>> Washburn is fifth in the MIAA and 37th in the nation turning 14 double plays on the year.
>> The Ichabod pitching staff averages 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings, 41st most in the nation and third in the MIAA.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Payton McHarg has started and played in all 17 games and leads the Ichabods with a 1.453 OPS. He also leads the team with 10 home runs, 29 RBI and 27 hits all while hitting .409. He is 2nd in the nation and 1st in the MIAA in home runs, 5th nationally total bases, eighth in the nation in RBI and 10th in SLG%.
>> Hayden Priest has started in 14 of the 15 games he has appeared in and is hitting .412 on the year with a 1.211 OPS. He has 21 hits drivning in 23 runs and has only struck out five times in 51 at bats. He is 35th in the nation and 8th in the MIAA in RBI and eighth toughest to strike out in the conference.
>> Connor Scott leads the team with an .442 batting average in 12 starts and 15 games played with an OPS of 1.281. He has driven in 15 runs with a trio of home runs and leads the team with four stolen bases. He has the 4th best batting average in the MIAA and 72nd highest nationally and is 5th in the conference in SLB%. He is also tied for third in the MIAA laying down three sacrifice bunts this season.
>> Cale Savage has the third highest OPS on the squad at 1.213 with 22 hits and seven home runs with starts in all 17 games this season. He leads the team drawing 13 walks on the year. He is tied for second in the MIAA in home runs and ninth in SLG%.
>> Jett Buck is hitting .339 with 15 appearances and 14 starts this season. He has 19 hits, four doubles, a triple, three home runs and three stolen bases.
>> Cash Jay is hitting .333 on the year with a 1.143 OPS in 14 games started with 15 appearances. He is third on the team with five home runs while drivning in 15 and also hitting seven doubles.
>> Easton Bruce has played in 15 games and started 14 while hitting .306 on the year with one home run and eight RBI from the outfield.
>> Trey Adams has played in 13 games and made nine starts while hitting .259 but has a .459 OB% after drawing nine walks, tied for second most on the team.
>> Trevor McCollum has a .256 average in 14 games played with 12 starts. He leads the team with two triples and has also worked nine walks.
ON THE MOUND
>> Seventeen players have taken the mound this season for Washburn.
>> Cooper Carlgren is second on the Ichabods with 21.2 innings pitched with a team-high 27 strikeouts. He has a 6.23 ERA with a 2-0 record and only a .229 opponent batting average. He is third in the conference in strikeouts and second in strikeouts per nine innings.
>> Griffin Huiatt is leads the team throwing 22.1 inning so far and has a 8.06 ERA with 28 strikeouts in five starts. He has a 0-1 record. He has tossed at least three innings in every outing this season.
>> Chase Torkelson has a 2-0 record in 20.2 innings in five starts with a 6.53 ERA. He has struck out 14 batters with 22 hits and 13 walks allowed.
>> Caden Bressler has thrown 11.0 innings out of the bullpen and has a 0.82 ERA with nine strikeouts and just five hits and three walks allowed in six appearances. Opponents have a team-low .147 batting average against him as he leads the team with two saves, seventh most in the MIAA.
>> 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 five games out of the bullpen with a 7.11 ERA in 6.1 innings of work. He has struck out five batters while walking just three.
IN THE FIELD
>> Cal Watkins leads the team with 30 assists on the year followed closely behind by Jett Buck who has 28.
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Trevor McCollum leads the team with 24 putouts, Connor Scott has 23.
>> Hayden Priest has thrown out five 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 233-204 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 WESTERN STATE GRIFFONS
>> The Griffons are 12-6 on the year overall and are 4-2 in the MIAA after following a series victory over Central Oklahoma with a 7-1 win over Benedictine College on March 5.
>> They have gone 5-2 at the Griffon Baseball Field.
>> A season ago they went 15-32 overall with a 11-22 record inside of the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament.
>> Missouri Western's offense is hitting .308 on the year with a .397 OB%, 460 SLG% and 15 home runs.
>> Quinton Robertson has played in 16 games making 15 starts and leads the Griffons with a .407 average and 1.167 OPS. He has three home runs, 22 total hits and six stolen bases.
>> Jackson Bryant is second on the team hitting .404 while driving in a team-high 19 runs in 14 starts. He has 23 hits with four going for extra bases.
>> On the mound, Missouri Western State's staff has a 6.41 ERA in 151.2 innings with 163 strikeouts and 88 walks issued.
>> Zack Crushing leads MWSU with 23.2 innings pitched this season all out of the bullpen. He has struck out 29 batters and allowed 23 hits with a 3-0 record.
>> Brayden Haug has started five games for the Griffons pitching 20.1 innings with a 6.20 ERA allowing 22 hits and striking out 17.
>> Christian Whiting has a team-low 2.70 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched across five starts. He has struck out 16 batters and walked seven.
HEAD COACH DAMIAN STAMBERSKY
>> Is in his 1st season coaching the Griffons baseball team
>> previously worked as an assistant pitching coach at Missouri Western the year before, also had a stint at Division I Radford University, with over 20 years of coaching experience
>> worked as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at the University of Central Missouri from 2014-2020
>> has also worked as an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as a recruiting coordinator at Kansas City Kansas Community College
SERIES HISTORY
>> This weekend's series will be the 148, 149th and 150th games between Washburn and Missouri Western State with the Ichabods leading the series 75-72.
>> The first game between the two programs came on March 31, 1970 and was a 5-2 win for the Griffons in St. Joseph, Mo.
>> The Ichaobds are 36-36 against the Griffons in St. Joseph.
>>Last season Washburn won three of the four matchups between the two teams including a 2-1 series victory on the road.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS
>> The Bearcats are 8-10 on the year overall and are 1-5 in the MIAA after being swept by Pittsburg State in a three-game series between March 1-3. They take on No. 3 Central Missouri for three games before taking on the Ichabods.
>> They have gone 6-6 away from 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 .418 OB%, 450 SLG% and 15 home runs.
>> Caden Diel leads the Bearcats hitting .479 with a 1.254 OPS in 13 starts. He has 23 hits onthe year drivning in 14 with one home run and is 10-10 on stolen base attempts.
>> Ryan Williams is second on the team hitting .391 and has drawn a team-high 16 walks for a .511 OBP. He has driven in 13 runs with a team-leading 27 hits and 10 doubles.
>> On the mound, Northwest Missouri State's staff has a 6.69 ERA in 149.1 innings with 152 strikeouts and 93 walks issued.
>> Quinn Mason has tossed 22.2 innings for NWMSU, second most on the team. He has a team-low 4.76 ERA with a 1-1 record and has struck out 31 batters on the year.
>> Casey Stalzer has made five starts for a team-high 26.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 41 batters while giving up 34 hits. He has a 2-2 record and a 5.81 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 141st game between Northwest Missouri State and Washburn all-time with the Ichabods leading the series 75-65.
>> 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 38-31 against the Bearcats at Falley Field
>> Last season Washburn won all three times the two teams played, with two in Maryville and one in Topeka. The Ichabods have won the last four games and 10 of the last 11 in the series.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2024 season will be the 72nd year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1336-1275-3 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 at home hosting Central Missouri in a three-game series beginning March 15 at 4 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.
