EDMOND, Okla. -- The No. 4 seed Washburn Ichabods are set for a best-of-three series with the No. 4 seed and No. 19 nationally ranked Central Oklahoma in Edmond beginning Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn baseball enters the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals as the No. 5 seed and will take on No. 4 Central Oklahoma in a best of three series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. in Edmond.
>> Last time out the Ichabods won 18-1 to complete a road sweep of Northeastern State in the regular season finale.
>> Washburn is now 29-19 overall on the year and 21-12 inside the MIAA. They are 15-7 at Falley Field, 13-12 on the road and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> The No. 19 nationally ranked Bronchos finish the regular season 36-12 overall while going 22-11 in the MIAA to finish tied for third in 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.
>> If Washburn wins the best of three series with Central Oklahoma they will advance to the MIAA Championships in Pittsburg, Kan. beginning on May 9.
>> 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.
ALL-MIAA HONORS
>> Washburn had nine players named to All-MIAA teams along with one member of the Gold Glove Team.
>> Payton McHarg earned first team honors as an outfielder while Cash Jay joined him as a utility player.
>> Cale Savage and Jett Buck were both second team selections on the infield at first base and shortstop respectively.
>> Hayden Priest was an All-MIAA third team member at catcher.
>> Cal Watkins, Connor Scott, Cooper Carlgren and Griffin Huiatt were honorable mentions with Connor Scott also being named to the Gold Glove Team in the outfield.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
>> Through 48 games Washburn is scoring 9.50 runs per game while allowing 7.31.
>> The Ichabods are 15-7 at Falley Field, 13-12 in road contests and 1-0 in neutral field games.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .328 with a .426 OB% and are slugging .568 as a team. They have 88 home runs and have drawn 244 walks.
>> Washburn's pitching staff has an ERA of 7.10 this season in 410.2 IP. They have struck out 350 batters while allowing 450 hits and issuing 260 walks.
>> The Ichabods have a .970 fielding percentage with 52 errors on the year and have turned 40 double plays.
>> On the basepaths Washburn has stolen 54 bases on 69 attempts while opponents have 55 stolen bases and have been thrown out 15 times.
>> The Ichabod hitters have collected 974 total bases while opponents are at 794 this year.
>> Washburn is starting and finishing games strong, outscoring opponents 56-32 in the first inning and 32-24 in the ninth. In extras they also have a 4-2 run edge.
STACKING THE STATS
>> The Ichabods are third in the nation in home runs per game with an average of 1.83 balls leaving the yard each game on the year.
>> In overall long balls the Ichabods are second in the nation with 88 blasts.
>> The Ichabods are 7th in the nation and first in the conference in doubles with 118 hits going for two bases on the year.
>> Washburn is 6th in the nation in hits on the year with 562 total knocks, second most in the conference.
>> The Ichabods are 8th in the nation and second in the conference with a .568 SLG% on the year.
>> Scoring 9.5 runs per game WU is 13th in the nation and second in the MIAA in that department.
>> With a batting average of .328 as a team Washburn is 28th in the nation and second in the MIAA at racking up hits.
>> Washburn is fourth in the MIAA and 13th in the nation turning 40 double plays on the year.
>> The Ichabod fielders are 42nd in the nation and fifth in the conference with a .970 fielding percentage on the year.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Payton McHarg has started and played in all 48 games for the Ichabods hitting a team-high .373 with a 1.278 OPS and a team-high 20 home runs and 63 RBI. He has scored 62 runs and has 69 total hits. He is tied for 1st in the nation in home runs, 20 in slugging, and 18th in RBI with top-five conference marks in all three.
>> Cash Jay is second on the team hitting .365 in 46 games played with 45 starts. He has the second highest OPS at 1.135 with a team-high 21 doubles. He also has 13 home runs while driving in 56 on 69 hits. He is 6th in the nation in doubles, 57th in home runs and ranks in the top-10 in the conference in both categories.
>> Connor Scott is batting .356 on the year in 46 games played with 43 starts. He has a .973 OPS and a team-high 16 stolen bases to pair with four home runs and three triples to drive in 27 runs. He is third in the conference in sacrifice bunts, 6th in triples and 10th in stolen bases.
>> Cale Savage has the third highest OPS on the squad at 1.042 with 60 hits and 12 home runs while starting in all 48 games this season. He leads the team drawing 41 walks on the year for a .443 OB%. He is 19th in the nation and 4th in the MIAA in walks and is 11th in the conference in home runs.
>> Hayden Priest has started in 45 of the 46 games he has appeared in and is hitting .360 on the year with a .999 OPS. He has 62 hits driving in 55 runs and has only struck out 24 times in 172 at bats. He is 7th in the MIAA in RBI.
>> Jett Buck is slashing .324 on the year with 45 appearances and 44 starts this season. He has 58 hits, 12 doubles, a triple. His 14 home runs and eight stolen bases are both second on the team. He is tied for 3rd in the MIAA in home runs and is 17th in SLG%.
>> Cal Watkins has played in 41 games and made 37 starts hitting .264 with 25 RBI, 12 doubles and four home runs.
>> Blake Scott has made 19 starts and played in 32 games this season hitting .365 with a 1.091 OPS. He has a team-high .551 OB% with a pair of home runs and 10 RBI.
>> Grant Jones hast played in 35 games and made 22 starts. He is hitting .293 on the year with a .463 OB% and 19 RBI.
>> Trevor McCollum has played in 35 games making 22 starts while hitting .278 with a .420 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 62.1 innings across 13 starts this season. He has a 6.64 ERA and a 4-3 record along with a team-high 59 strikeouts. Hitters have a .266 batting average against him. He is 9th in the MIAA in strikeouts.
>> Caden Bressler has thrown 49.1 innings in 14 outings this season, with eight starts and six bullpen calls. He has a 5.66 ERA, lowest among starting pitchers, a 3-3 record and 27 strikeouts with 47 hits allowed. He leads the team with a pair of saves and is 9th in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings.
>> Griffin Huiatt is third 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 second on the team throwing 59.0 innings across 13 starts this season with a 5-0 record for the most wins on the squad. He has a 7.02 ERA, has struck out 44 batters and walked 36 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 16 games this season making one start with a 7.11 ERA. In 31.2 innings. He has struck out 25 while giving up 34 hits.
>> Sam Wragge is 2-0 on the year with a team-low 3.37 ERA across 10.2 innings in 11 appearances.
>> Cole Warner has thrown 16.1 innings in 16 appearances out of the bullpen with a 6.61 ERA and a 1-0 record. He has struck out 14 on the year.
>> Jayden Payne has thrown 14.0 innings across 16 appearances out of the bullpen. He has a 8.36 ERA with a 1-0 record and has struck out 12 batters.
IN THE FIELD
>> Jett Buck leads the team with 102 assists, Cal Watkins is second with 95 and Cash Jay rounds out the infield with 85.
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 114 putouts, Payton McHarg has 80.
>> 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 253-215 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
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS
>> The Bronchos finished the regular season 36-12 overall and 22-11 in the MIAA, tying for third place in the regular season.
>> They are 25-4 at Wendell Simmons Field.
>>UCO is ranked No. 19 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 .283 on the year with a .368 OB%, 486 SLG% and 60 home runs.
>> Kaleb Glass leads the offense hitting .366 on the year in 38 games started, he has 52 hits and a team-high 23 stolen bases on 25 attempts.
>> Carson Carpenter is hitting .325 with a team-high 1.121 OPS in 47 games played and started. He leads the squad with 13 home runs, 53 hits, 49 RBI and a .687 SLG%.
>> Garrett Long is hitting .307 on the year with 37 starts and 40 games played. He has 11 doubles with 29 RBI and has a .406 OB%, third highest on the team.
>> On the mound, Central Oklahoma's staff has a 4.51 ERA in 402.2 innings with 375 strikeouts and 190 walks issued.
>> Caleb Burchfield is second on the Bronchos with 58.1 innings pitched across 13 appearances and 12 starts. He has a 3.86 ERA with a 6-2 record and 44 strikeouts.
>> Brett Pense has started 11 games and appeared in 12, throwing a team-high 58.2 innings. He has a 6-4 record and a 4.45 ERA.
>> Racer Felter has a team-low 2.86 ERA across 17 appearances out of the bullpen. He has thrown 22.0 innings with a 3-1 record and 24 strikeouts.
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
>> Washburn and Central Oklahoma have faced off 56 times in program history with the Bronchos leading all=time the series 33-23.
>> 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 12-25 against Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
>> The Bronchos won the season series over the Ichabods 2-1 during the regular season, winning 9-5 in game one and 7-3 in the second before falling 11-9 in the series finale on April 21.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cale Savage is currently 4th in program history in home runs hit, 7th in walks and is 11th in RBI.
>> Cal Watkins is tied for fourth in program history in doubles with 43 and is 12th in the record books with 180 total hits.
>> Payton McHarg is 3rd in program history for the most home runs in a season and 5th in single season slugging percentage. He is tied for 11th in career home runs.
>> Charlie Kiefer is tied for 5th in program history with 7 career saves, he is 8th in program history with 51 total appearances.
WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY
>> The 2024 season will be the 72nd year of Washburn Baseball.
>> The Ichabods have gone 1356-1286-3 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
>> If Washburn wins the series over Central Oklahoma they will advance to the MIAA Championships which is double elemination among the remaining four teams in Pittsburg, Kan. between May 9 and May 12.
