TOPEKA, Kan. -- Returning to MIAA play, Washburn remains at home to face No. 12 Missouri Southern for three games beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. After the series they will turn around to face William Jewell on Tuesday, March 4 against William Jewell at 4 p.m. 

LEADING OFF

>> Washburn will continue its season-opening homestand with three games against No. 12 Missouri Southern before going on the road to face William Jewell. 

>> The Ichabods will face the Lions for the first of three games on Friday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday contests will both begin at 1 p.m. On Tuesday, March 4 they head to Liberty, Mo. to face William Jewell at 4 p.m. 

>> After defeating Winona State 21-10 on Wednesday afternoon Washburn improved to 6-6 on the year and is 2-1 in MIAA play. 

>> The Ichabds are coming off a third straight 30-win season in 2024. They finished the campaign 32-21 overall and 21-12 in the MIAA, finishing fifth in the regular season and advancing to the MIAA Championship Tournament. 

>> They were picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

>> Missouri Southern is 10-2 on the year and 3-0 in MIAA play after sweeping Northwest Missouri in three games at home to open the season. 

>> William Jewell is 2-4 on the year before facing Bemidji State in a weekend series prior to hosting the Ichabods. 

BODS AND BITS

>> Washburn is scoring 6.67 runs per game while opponents are at 6.08.

>> The Ichabods are 3-1 at Falley Field this season while going 2-2 in road contests and 1-3 in neutral site games. 

>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .286 with a .374 OB% and a .504 SLG%. They have hit 19 home runs with 31 doubles and drawn 51 walks while striking out 120 times. 

>> The pitching staff has a 5.94 ERA with 91 strikeouts across 103.0 innings with a 1.50 WHIP. They allowed 86 hits and issued 68 walks. 

>> Washburn has a .981 fielding percentage on the year, turning six doublee plays with eight total errors. 

>> On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 12-17 in stolen base attempts while opponents are 13-16. 

STREAKS AND STATS

>> Hayden Priest carries a team-high seven game hitting streak into the weekend series. Jett Buck has a six-game hitting streak. 

>> Darian Duhon has reached base in all 12 games, the only player to do so. Easton Bruce is second on the team with an eight game on-base streak. 

>> Bruce has a team-high four games with multiple RBI. 

>> When leading off an inning, Ichabod hitters are slashing .368 on the year. 

>> The pitching staff is holding left-handed hitting oppoonents to a .202 (18-89) batting average.With two outs opponents are hitting just .197. 

>> Washburn is outscoring opponents 24-11 in the fourth inning and 3-0 in extra innings. 

AROUND THE ORDER

>> Easton Bruce is leading the team hititng .419 while starting in all 12 games in left field. He has a team-high 14 RBI and 16 runs while slugging five home runs, tied for most on the team. He has a .500 OB% and is 2-2 on stolen base attempts. 

>> Darian Duhon has started all 12 games slashing .400 at the plate with a 1.103 OPS. He has 18 total hits with a pair of home runs and ten RBI and one stolen base. 

>> Hayden Priest is hitting .373 while starting in all 12 games. He has tied for a team-high five five home runs for a 1.13 OPS. He has driven in 1o while collecting a team-high 19 total hits.

>> Cash Jay has played and started in all 12 games hitting .282 with a .882 OPS. He leads the team with 11 walks for a .472 OB% and has driven in five on the year. 

>> Jackson Mervosh has started in all 12 games and is hitting .311 with a .844 OPS. He has a team-high six doubles with one home run and 10 RBI. He is 2-2 in stolen base attempts. 

>> Jett Buck is slashing .265 with a .852 OBS while starting in all 12 games. He has seven extra base hits with three home runs and 10 RBI. 

>> Payton McHarg is slashing .170 on the year while starting in all 12 games. He has one home run and four RBI. 

>> Blake Scott is hitting .179 on the year while playing in 11 games and starting in 10. He has walked seven times for a .378 OB%. 

>> Connor Scott has started in 11 of 12 games he has played in, hitting .139 with one home run and four RBI.  

>> Garrett Springer has played in seven games, making two starts, and is hitting .214 with a home run and five RBI. 

ON THE MOUND

>> Caleb Lunnon has tossed a team-high 16.1 innings in his three starts, allowing three earned runs for a 1.65 ERA and a .98 WHIP. He has a 2-0 record and is tied for the team-lead with 13 strikeouts. 

>> Cooper Carlgren has started three games and thrown 16.0 innings with a 3.38 ERA and 0-1 record. He has 11 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP while opponents are hitting .175. 

>> Caden Bressler is 1-1 on the year after throwing 12.0 innings across three appearances with one start and has a 3.75 ERA. He has struck out four and opponents have a batting average of just .128. 

>> Piercen McElyea has thrown 11.0 innings across three starts. He is tied ofr the team lead with 13 strikeouts and has a 0.1 record with a 7.36 ERA. 

>> Keegan McDonald has a 1.69 ERA across 5.1 innings in four appearances. He has a 0.38 WHIP and has struck out 10 batters with opponents hitting just .118.

>> Cal Leonard has thrown in two games, tossing 3.1 innings with a 1-0 record and 2.70 ERA. 

>> Fidel Hatch has appeared in three games out of the bullpen and tossed 3.2 IP. He has a 4.91 ERA and struck out a pair. 

>> Chase Torkelson has appeared in three games, making one start, he has thrown 7.0 innings with a 7.71 ERA. 

>> Griffin Huiatt has a team-high five appearances, throwing 5.2 innings with a 7.94 ERA and three strikeouts.

IN THE FIELD

>>  Excluding first basemen and catchers, Jett Buck leads the team with 30 putouts in the field. He also leads with 35 assists and has turned a team-high six double plays. 

>> Jackson Mervosh is second on the team with 20 assists and has been part of four double plays. 

>> Hayden Priest leads the team with 78 total putouts from behind home plate while Blake Scott has 68 at first base. 

>> Priest has also thrown out a team-high two would be base-stealers.

ICHABODS AROUND THE COUNTRY

>> Washburn's 45-man roster consists of players from nine different states.

>> There are 17 players on the roster who are from the Sunflower State.

>> The state producing the second most Ichabods is Oklahoma with 9. 

>> Washburn has four players coming from each of the remaining three border states, Nebraska, Colorado and Missouri. 

>> Two players each come from Texas and Illinois. Two Ichabods also utilize their passports coming south from Canada. 

>> One Ichabod hails from Iowo and Louisiana each to round out the roster. 

HEAD COACH HARLEY DOUGLAS

>> Former Washburn All-MIAA outfielder Harley Douglas enters his 11th season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program in 2025.

>> In nine seasons, Douglas carries an all-time record of 262-223 with six appearances in the MIAA Tournament and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.

>> He has also coached a total of 63 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 seventh 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 is in his second season on the coaching staff after finishing his playing career with the Ichabods 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 SOUTHERN STATE LIONS

>> Missouri Southern is 10-2 on the year and 3-0 inside the MIAA after sweeping Northwest Missouri State last time out on Feb. 23-24 in Joplin. 

>> They are ranked No. 12 in the latest NCBWA poll. 

>> Last season the Lions went 44-15 overall and 24-9 inside the MIAA. They won the MIAA Championship Tournament and won two games in the NCAA Central Region Tournament. 

>> They are 6-1 when playing at Warren Turner Field, 1-1 on the road and 3-0 in neutral field contests. 

>> Missouri Southern is hitting .301 as a team with a .396 OB% and a .468 SLG%. They have 10 home runs with 87 strikeouts and 49 walks. 

>> They are 1st in the MIAA in total hits, third in doubles and third in triples. 

>> Ethan Clark has started all 12 games and is hitting .451 with a 1.184 OPS. He has driven in 18 runs with two home runs and a pair of stolen bases. He is second in the MIAA and 23rd nationally in hits per game and leads the conference in RBI. 

>> Brayden Luikart is hitting .442 while starting all 12 games and has a team-high 1.286 OPS. He has a .519 OB% with 16 RBI and nine extra-base hits. He is 3rd in the MIAA in RBI, 4th in SLG% and 8th in total bases. 

>> Drew Townsent has started all 12 games and is hitting .327 with a .870 OPS. He has a team-high eight walks and has driven in five runs. 

>> The pitching staff has a 3.34 ERA across 105.0 innings with 116 strikeouts and 40 walks.

>> They are 2nd in the MIAA in ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio and third in WHIP. 

>> Cole Gayman has started four games throwing a team-high 25.1 innings with a 2-0 record and a 1.78 ERA. He has 31 strikeouts with only seven walks and a .91 WHIP. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 11th nationally in strikeouts and ranked 6th in the conference in ERA. 

>> Casey Stalzer has started four games throwing 18.0 innings and has a 1-0 record with a 4.00 ERA. He has fanned 26 batters with six walks. he is fifth in the MIAA in strikeouts and 3rd in strikeouts per nine. 

>> Trent Harris has thrown 10.1 innings in four appearances out of the bullpen. He is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA and has struck out 10. 

HEAD COACH

>> Bryce Darnell is in his 18th season as the head coach at Missouri Southern State where he has a 533-351 record. 

>> In all, Darnell has coached 124 All-MIAA performances, 30 All-Region honorees, 15 All-American selections and one National Pitcher of the Year. He has led the Lions to the MIAA Tournament in 13 of the 17 seasons at the helm. 

>> A 1997 graduate of Missouri Southern, Darnell had been the head baseball coach at Webb City High School for eight years, while also teaching social studies at the school.

>> A three-year player for the Lions from 1994-1996, Darnell transferred to Southern after a year at the University of Minnesota.

SERIES HISTORY

>> Missouri Southern leads the all-time series with Washburn 71-40. 

>> The Ichabods are 26-21 against the Lions at Falley Field. 

>> The series began on March 20, 1990 with an 11-2 win for Missouri Southern in Joplin. 

>> Last season the Lions took three of four games between the two teams including an 8-4 win in the MIAA Championships in Pittsburg, Kan. 

>> The Ichabods average 5.56 runs per game against MSSU. 

WILLIAM JEWELL CARDINALS

>> William Jewell is 2-4 on the year after falling 11-5 to Winona State last time out. They will face Bemidji State for four games over the weekend before facing the Ichabods. 

>> Last season the Cardinals went 32-22 overall with a 20-16 mark inside the GLVC. They fell after four games inside the GLVC Tournament. 

>> As a team they hit .272 with a .343 OB% and a .417 SLG%. They have tallied four home runs with 10 walks and 58 strikeouts. 

>> Will McCombs has started all six games and is hitting .550 with a 1.259 OPS. He has driven in four runs and scored four of his own. 

>> Jordan Phillips is slashing .364 while starting in all six games. He has one home run and has driven in three while going 2-2 on stolen base attempts. 

>> The Cardinal pitching staff has a 6.07 ERA across 46.0 innings with a 1.72 WHIP. They have 37 strikeouts while allowing 54 hits and 25 walks. 

>> Charlie Rambo has started a a pair of games throwing a team-high 9.1 innings. He is 1-1 on the year with a 4.82 ERA and seven strikeouts. 

>> Chandler Ashby has started two games throwing 8.1 innings with a 7.56 ERA. He leads the team with 10 strikeouts. 

HEAD COACH

>> Mike Stockton is entering his 24th season as the head baseball coach at William Jewell College in 2025 and is the second winningest coach in program history having amassed more than 600 career wins.  

>> Spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Dallas Baptist University where he coached hitters and infielders

>> Served as an assistant coach for the University of Kansas from 1998-99, coaching the Jayhawk infielders and assisting with hitting

>> Played collegiately at Ottawa University (Kan.) where he led the Braves to two conference championships. Graduated with his bachelor's degree in English at Ottawa followed by a master's in sports psychology from Kansas.

SERIES HISTORY

>> Washburn leads the all-time series with William Jewell 4-3. 

>> The Ichabods are 1-3 against the Cardinals in Liberty. 

>> The series began on April 13, 1962 with a 2-1 win for Washburn in a location unknown. 

>> The last meeting came on April 5, 2022 and was a 14-4 seven-inning win for the Ichabods in Liberty. 

>> Washburn averages 6.86 runs per game against William Jewell. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

>> Griffin Huiatt is tied for 15th in program history with four saves and is tied for 37th in Ichabod history with 37 total appearances. 

>> Cash Jay holds the 23rd highest career batting average in program history at .350. In home runs he is tied for 23rd with 15. 

>> Payton McHarg is 10th in Washburn history with 22 home runs. 

>> With eight career triples Connor Scott is tied for seventh in program history. With 38 stolen bases he is tied for the 17th most bags swiped. 

>> Chase Torkelson has the 16th lowest opponent batting average in Washburn history at .264. In wins he is tied for 18th with 12. 

>> Jett Buck is tied for 14th among all Ichabods with 17 career home runs. 

PRO BODS

>> Washburn baseball has a presence in the pro ranks with 2023 All-MIAA second-team pitcher Casey Steward being in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system. In 2024 he split time at the A and A+ level finishing the year with an 8-5 record and 3.42 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 102.2 innings. 

>>Steward became the second Ichabod to have his name called under head coach Harley Douglas after being selected in the 19th round with the 583rd pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. 

WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY

>> The 2025 season is the 73rd year of Washburn Baseball.

>> The Ichabods have a 1365-1294-3 record in program history. 

>> There have been 34 seasons with 20+ wins; 24 seasons with 25+ wins; and 13 seasons with 30+ wins.

>> Washburn has earned 30 All-Region selections and 11 All-America awards.

ON DECK

>> Washburn will head on the road next weekend for a three-game series with Northwest Missouri State beginning Friday, March 7 at 3 p.m. 

>> Senior day for the Ichabods will be on Sunday, April 27 against Newman with first pitch set for 1 p.m. 

>> The double elimination MIAA Tournament will begin in Joplin, Mo. at Warren Turner Field on May 7 and run through May 11.