TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball heads to Tahlequah for its final regular season series of the year against Northeastern State beginning on Friday at 2 p.m. with new times after scheduled weather caused changes.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn baseball fights for postseason positioning in the final series of the regular season against Northeastern State beginning on Friday at 2 p.m. after weather caused both the Friday and Saturday game times to change.
>> Last time out the Ichabods won 14-3 over Southern Nazarene on the road Wednesday afternoon.
>> Washburn is now 26-19 overall on the year and 18-12 inside the MIAA. They are 15-7 at Falley Field, 10-12 on the road and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> The RiverHawks enter the series with a 20-27 record on the year and a 11-19 record inside the MIAA after losing falling 17-5 to Oklahoma Baptist in seven innings on Tuesday.
>> 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 enters the MIAA Tournament next weekend which is played on the campus sites of the top four seeds.
>> 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.
TOURNAMENT WATCH
>> Washburn currently sits in fifth place in the MIAA standings. They can go no lower than fifth and can reach as high as third.
>> To finish in third the Ichabods would need to sweep the RiverHawks with Central Oklahoma losing all three games and Pittsburg State winning no more than one.
>> If Washburn is tied with the Gorillas they would have the tiebreaker to move up to fourth or fifth in the standings. The Bronchos have the tiebreaker over the Ichabods. Both teams are currently two games above Washburn with 20-10 conference records.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
>> Through 45 games Washburn is scoring 9.13 runs per game while allowing 7.49.
>> The Ichabods are 15-7 at Falley Field, 10-12 in road contests and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .324 with a .418 OB% and are slugging .573 as a team. They have 85 home runs and have drawn 224 walks.
>> Washburn's pitching staff has an ERA of 7.26 this season in 385.2 IP. They have struck out 337 batters while allowing 427 hits and issuing 246 walks.
>> The Ichabods have a .969 fielding percentage with 50 errors on the year and have turned 37 double plays.
>> On the basepaths Washburn has stolen 43 bases on 56 attempts while opponents have 53 stolen bases and have been thrown out 14 times.
>> The Ichabod hitters have collected 915 total bases while opponents are at 750 this year.
>> Washburn is starting and finishing games strong, outscoring opponents 55-32 in the first inning and 30-23 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 1.89 balls leaving the yard each game on the year.
>> In overall long balls the Ichabods are second in the nation with 85 blasts.
>> The Ichabods are 6th in the nation and first in the conference in doubles with 112 hits going for two bases on the year.
>> Washburn is 7th in the nation in hits on the year with 518 total knocks, second most in the conference.
>> The Ichabods are 6th in the nation and second in the conference with a .573 SLG% on the year.
>> Scoring 9.1 runs per game WU is 18th in the nation and second in the MIAA in that department.
>> With a batting average of .324 as a team Washburn is 32nd in the nation and second in the MIAA at racking up hits.
>> Washburn is fourth in the MIAA and 14th in the nation turning 37 double plays on the year.
>> The Ichabod fielders are 49th in the nation and fifth in the conference with a .969 fielding percentage on the year.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Payton McHarg has started and played in all 45 games for the Ichabods hitting .351 with a 1.211 OPS and a team-high 18 home runs and 53 RBI. He has scored 56 runs and has 61 total hits. He is 4th in the nation in home runs, 40th in slugging, and 39th in RBI with top-five conference marks in all three.
>> Cash Jay leads the team hitting .362 in 43 games played with 42 starts. He has the second highest OPS at 1.143 with a team-high 19 doubles. He also has 13 home runs while driving in 51 on a team-high 63 hits. He is 10th in the nation in doubles, 40th in home runs and ranks in the top-10 in the conference in both categories.
>> Connor Scott is second on the team hitting .356 on the year in 43 games played with 40 starts. He has a .989 OPS and a team-high 13 stolen bases to pair with four home runs and three of triples to drive in 25 runs. He is second in the conference in sacrifice bunts and tied for 5th in triples.
>> Cale Savage has the third highest OPS on the squad at 1.075 with 58 hits and 12 home runs while starting in all 45 games this season. He leads the team drawing 39 walks on the year for a .450 OB%. He is 20th in the nation and 4th in the MIAA in walks and is 8th in the conference in home runs.
>> Jett Buck is slashing .331 on the year with 42 appearances and 41 starts this season. He has 55 hits, 12 doubles, a triple, 14 home runs and five stolen bases. He is tied for 3rd in the MIAA in home runs and is 14th in SLG%.
>> Hayden Priest has started in 42 of the 43 games he has appeared in and is hitting .348 on the year with a .975 OPS. He has 56 hits driving in 51 runs and has only struck out 22 times in 161 at bats.
>> Cal Watkins has played in 38 games and made 34 starts hitting .279 with 24 RBI, 11 doubles and four home runs.
>> Blake Scott has made 16 starts and played in 29 games this season hitting .345 with a 1.065 OPS and a pair of home runs with a .520 OB%.
>> Grant Jones hast played in 32 games and made 20 starts. He is hitting .286 on the year with a .450 OB% and 15 RBI.
>> Trevor McCollum has played in 32 games making 20 starts while hitting .288 with a .424 OB% and a pair of triples.
ON THE MOUND
>> Seventeen players have taken the mound this season for Washburn.
>> Cooper Carlgren leads the Ichabods with 57.1 innings across 11 starts this season. He has a 6.59 ERA and a 3-3 record along with a team-high 57 strikeouts. Hitters have a .266 batting average against him. He is 9th in the MIAA in strikeouts.
>> Caden Bressler has thrown 47.1 innings in 13 outings this season, with seven starts and six bullpen calls. He has a 5.70 ERA, lowest among starting pitchers, a 3-3 record and 26 strikeouts with 45 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 second on the Ichabods throwing 53.2 innings this season in 15 appearances with seven starts for a 6.20 ERA. He has a 2-3 record and is second on the team with 54 strikeouts.
>> Chase Torkelson is third on the team throwing 53.0 innings across 12 starts this season with a 4-0 record for the most wins on the squad. He has a 7.64 ERA, has struck out 39 batters and walked 34 hitters.
>> Charlie Kiefer is 3-2 this season throwing in 17 games total with three starts. He has a 5.74 ERA in 31.1 innings of work. He has struck out 19 batters with one save.
>> Fidel Hatch has thrown in 15 games this season making one start with a 7.31 ERA. In 28.1 innings he has struck out 24 while giving up 31 hits.
>> Cole Warner has thrown 15.1 innings in 15 appearances out of the bullpen with a 7.04 ERA and a 1-0 record. He has struck out 14 on the year.
>> Jayden Payne has thrown 12.1 innings across 14 appearances out of hte bullpen. He has a 8.76 ERA with a 1-0 record and has struck out 12 batters.
>> Sam Wragge is 2-0 on the year with a 3.72 ERA across 9.2 innings in 10 appearances.
IN THE FIELD
>> Jett Buck leads the team with 97 assists, Cal Watkins is second with 84 and Cash Jay rounds out the infield with 76.
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 105 putouts, Payton McHarg has 73.
>> Hayden Priest has thrown out nine 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 250-215 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
NORTHEASTERN STATE RIVERHAWKS
>> The RiverHawks enter the series with a 20-27 record on the year and a 11-19 record inside the MIAA after losing falling 17-5 to Oklahoma Baptist in seven innings on Tuesday.
>> They went 25-28 overall a season ago, with a 15-18 record inside of the MIAA, advancing to the second round of the MIAA Tournament.
>> Northeastern State's offense is hitting .303 on the year with a .403 OB%, 478 SLG% and 56 home runs.
>> Tyson Fourkiller leads the RiverHawks hitting .414 playing and starting all 47 games. He has a 1.001 OPS and has stolen 17 bases.
>> Gage Williams is hitting .378 with a team-high 1.163 OPS in 41 games played and 38 starts. He has nine home runs and a team-high 44 RBI.
>> On the mound, Northeastern State's staff has a 8.35 ERA in 385.0 innings with 346 strikeouts and 271 walks issued.
>> CJ Briley leads the RiverHawks with 69.1 innings in 13 appearances and 12 starts. He has a team-low 3.89 ERA with a 5-1 record and 62 strikeouts.
>> Jesse Moreno III has thrown 20.2 innings with a 5.66 ERA in 12 appearances. he has a 1-0 record and has struck out 22 batters.
HEAD COACH SUNNY GOLLOWAY
>> enters his first year at the helm of Northeastern State University baseball
>> was the head coach at East Central University for one year where he guided the Tigers to the program's most wins since 2017
>> was the head coach at Auburn University for two years, leading them to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Golloway also spent eight seasons as head coach at the University of Oklahoma
SERIES HISTORY
>> This weekend's series will be the 39th, 40th and 41st games between Washburn and Northeastern State with the RiverHawks leading the all-time series 21-17.
>> The first game was on March 19, 1990 and was a 8-2 win for Northeastern State in Tahlequah.
>> The Ichabods are 11-4 against the RiverHawks in Tahlequah.
>> Last season Washburn won the regular season series 2-1 and Northeastern State won 2-1 over the Ichabods in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cale Savage is currently 4th in program history in home runs hit, tied for 7th in walks and is tied for 11th in RBI.
>> Cal Watkins is fifth in program history in doubles with 42 and is 12th in the record books with 179 total hits.
>> Payton McHarg is tied for 4th in program history for the most home runs in a season and 5th in single season slugging percentage.
>> Charlie Kiefer is tied for 5th in program history with 7 career saves, he is 7th in program history with 19 games finished.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2024 season will be the 72nd year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1353-1286-3 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 be either the third, fourth or fifth seed in the MIAA Tournament depending on results from the Ichabods, Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State.
>> The MIAA Tournament first round will begin on campus sites on Friday, May 3 and run until May 5 if needed.
