TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball hosts No. 21 Central Oklahoma for three games this weekend beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. with the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday for senior day.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn baseball plays its final home series of the year beginning Friday with three games against No. 21 Central Oklahoma concluding with senior day on Sunday at 1 p.m.
>> Saturday's match will be Military Appreciation Day at Falley Field.
>> Last time out the Ichabods lost 6-1 to Rockhurst on the road on Wednesday.
>> Washburn is now 23-17 overall on the year and 17-10 inside the MIAA. They are 13-5 at Falley Field, 9-12 on the road and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> The Bronchos enter the series with a 32-10 record on the year and a 18-9 record inside the MIAA after winning last weekend's series over Rogers State 2-1.
>> 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 heads out of the conference but stays at home for one game against Emporia State on April 23 at 5 p.m.
>> In the 2024 MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll, the Ichabods were picked fourth after finishing 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.
THANK YOU SENIORS!
>> Before the game on Sunday all 12 members of the Washburn baseball senior class will be recognized on the field.
>> The group playing in their last series at Falley Field is Teagan Tamiya, Trey Adams, Cal Watkins, Cole Warner, Jake Schroeder, Shane Morrow, Cale Savage, Otto Jones, Seger Holman, Ike Book, Jayden Payne and Charlie Kiefer.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
>> Through 40 games Washburn is scoring 9.23 runs per game while allowing 7.55.
>> The Ichabods are 13-5 at Falley Field, 9-12 in road contests and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .322 with a .419 OB% and are slugging .579 as a team. They have 77 home runs and have drawn 202 walks.
>> Washburn's pitching staff has an ERA of 7.32 this season in 341.2 IP. They have struck out 287 batters while allowing 380 hits and issuing 216 walks.
>> The Ichabods have a .968 fielding percentage with 46 errors on the year and have turned 33 double plays.
>> On the basepaths Washburn has stolen 43 bases on 56 attempts while opponents have 46 stolen bases and have been thrown out 12 times.
>> The Ichabod hitters have collected 818 total bases while opponents are at 667 this year.
>> Washburn is starting and finishing games strong, outscoring opponents 54-30 in the first inning and 28-20 in the ninth. In extras they also have a 4-2 run edge.
STACKING THE STATS
>> The Ichabods are second in the nation in home runs per game with an average of 1.93 balls leaving the yard each game on the year.
>> In overall long balls the Ichabods are second in the nation with 77 blasts.
>> The Ichabods are tied for 6th in the nation and are second in the conference in doubles with 103 hits going for two bases on the year.
>> Washburn is 15th in the nation in hits on the year with 456 total knocks, third most in the conference.
>> The Ichabods are 4th in the nation and second in the conference with a .579SLG% on the year.
>> Scoring 9.2 runs per game WU is 20th in the nation and scoring in the MIAA in that department.
>> With a batting average of .322 as a team Washburn is 33rd in the nation and second in the MIAA at racking up hits.
>> Washburn is fourth in the MIAA and 22nd in the nation turning 33 double plays on the year.
>> The Ichabod fielders are 61st in the nation and fifth in the conference with a .698 fielding percentage on the year.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Payton McHarg has started and played in all 40 games for the Ichabods hitting .359 with a 1.257 OPS and a team-high 18 home runs and 50 RBI. He has scored 51 runs and has 56 total hits. He is tied for the national lead in home runs, is 24th in SLG%, 31st in runs and 35th in RBI.
>> Cash Jay is second on the team hitting .358 in 38 games played with 37 starts. He has the second highest OPS at 1.164 with a team-high 18 doubles. He also has 12 home runs and has driven in 47. He is eighth in the nation in doubles, 38th in home runs and ranks in the top-10 in the conference in both categories.
>> Jett Buck is hitting third on the team at .347 in 37 appearances and 36 starts this season. He has 51 hits, 11 doubles, a triple, 12 home runs and five stolen bases. He is tied for 4th in the MIAA in home runs and is 14th in SLG%.
>> Connor Scott is hitting .328 on the year in 38 games played with 35 starts. He has a .908 OPS and a team-high 13 stolen bases to pair with three home runs and a pair of triples. He is second in the conference in sacrifice bunts and 11th in stolen bases.
>> Cale Savage has the third highest OPS on the squad at 1.092 with 51 hits and 10 home runs while starting in all 40 games this season. He leads the team drawing 37 walks on the year for a .462 OB%. He is 15th in the nation and 4th in the MIAA in walks and is 12th in the conference in home runs.
>> Hayden Priest has started in 37 of the 38 games he has appeared in and is hitting .324 on the year with a .936 OPS. He has 46 hits driving in 48 runs and has only struck out 20 times in 142 at bats.
>> Cal Watkins has played in 33 games and made 29 starts hitting .283 with 20 RBI, 11 doubles and three home runs.
>> Blake Scott has made 14 starts and played in 26 games this season hitting .333 with a 1.064 OPS and a pair of home runs.
>> Grant Jones hast played in 28 games and made 16 starts. He is hitting .281 on the year with a .465 OB%.
>> 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.
ON THE MOUND
>> Seventeen players have taken the mound this season for Washburn.
>> Cooper Carlgren leads the Ichabods with 51.2 innings across ten starts this season. He has a 6.45 ERA and a 3-2 record along with a team-high 53 strikeouts. Hitters have a .261 batting average against him. He is 7th in the MIAA in strikeouts.
>> Caden Bressler has thrown 41.1 innings in 12 outings this season, with six starts and six bullpen calls. He has a 5.23 ERA, lowest among starting pitchers, a 3-2 record and 21 strikeouts with 39 hits allowed. He leads the team with a pair of saves and is 10th in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings.
>> Griffin Huiatt is third on the Ichabods throwing 47.1 innings this season in 13 appearances with six starts for a 6.46 ERA. He has a 2-3 record and is second on the team with 46 strikeouts.
>> Chase Torkelson is second on the team throwing 48.1 innings across 11 starts this season with a 4-0 record for the most wins on the squad. He has a 7.08 ERA, has struck out 33 batters and walked 28 hitters.
>> Charlie Kiefer is 3-2 this season throwing in 15 games total with two start. He has a 5.54 ERA in 26.0 innings of work. He has struck out 13 batters with one save.
>> Fidel Hatch has thrown in 13 games this season making one start with a 7.46 ERA. In 25.1 innings he has struck out 21 while giving up 28 hits.
>> Cole Warner has thrown 14.1 innings in 13 appearances out of the bullpen with a 6.91 ERA and a 1-0 record. He has struck out 13 on the year .
>> Max Clark has eight appearances and made two starts throwing 10.1 total innings with a 6.97 ERA. He has an 0-1 record and has struck out nine batters.
>> Sam Wragge is 1-0 on the year with a 4.50 ERA across 8.0 innings in nine appearances.
IN THE FIELD
>> Jett Buck leads the team with 87 assists, Cal Watkins is second with 73 and Cash Jay rounds out the infield with 60.
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 95 putouts, Payton McHarg has 66.
>> 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 247-213 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
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS
>> The Bronchos enter the series with a 32-10 record on the year and a 18-9 record inside the MIAA after winning last weekend's series over Rogers State 2-1.
>>UCO is ranked No. 21 in the nation in the latest NCBWA poll.
>> They went 32-19 overall a season ago, with a 18-15 record inside of the MIAA, falling in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
>> Central Oklahoma's offense is hitting .286 on the year with a .388 OB%, 481 SLG% and 48 home runs.
>> Kaleb Glass leads the offense hitting .353 on the year in 32 games started, he has 42 hits and a team-high 16 stolen bases on 18 attempts.
>> Carson Carpenter is hitting .336 with a team-high 1.135 OPS in 41 games played and started. He leads the squad with 11 home runs and 42 RBI and carries a .686 SLG%.
>> On the mound, Central Oklahoma's staff has a 4.43 ERA in 347.2 innings with 321 strikeouts and 168 walks issued.
>> Caleb Burchfield leads the Bronchos with 47.2 innings pitched across 11 appearances and 10 starts. He has a 4.34 ERA with a 5-2 record and 36 strikeouts.
>> Brett Pense has started nine games and appeared in 10, throwing 46.1 innings. He has a 4-4 record and a 4.66 ERA.
>> Dax Sharp has a team-low 1.97 ERA in seven starts and eight appearances. He has struck out 19 batters across 32 innings.
HEAD COACH JOHN MARTIN
>> Is in his 9th season as the head coach of the Bronchos baseball program.
>> has a 245-148-1 record in eight years at the helm since taking the head coaching position ahead of the 2016 season
>> took over the UCO reigns in July of 2015 after four years as head coach at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College
>> a former standout at Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival Emporia State and Major League Baseball draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers
SERIES HISTORY
>> This weekend's series will be games 54-56 in the all-time series between Washburn and Central Oklahoma with the Bronchos leading the series 31-22.
>> The first game between the two programs came on March 21, 186 in Oklahoma City with a 8-6 win for the Ichabods.
>> Washburn is 7-6 against Central Oklahoma at Falley Field.
>> Last season the Bronchos swept the season series three games to none in Edmond.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cale Savage is two home runs away from 30 in his career, he is currently tied for 4th in program history in home runs hit, tied for 10th in walks and 17th in RBI.
>> Cal Watkins is fifth in program history in doubles with 42 and is 14th in program history in total hits with 175.
>> Payton McHarg is tied for 4th in program history for the most home runs in a season and 5th in single season slugging percentage.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2024 season will be the 72nd year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1350-1284-3 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 will play its final home game of the season in a non-conference game against Emporia State at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.
>> The MIAA Tournament first round will begin on campus sites on Friday, May 3 and run until May 5 if needed.
