TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball stays busy heading on the road to face Northeastern State for three games beginning on Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m. They will then return home to face Fort Hays State on Tuesday with first pitch set for 4 p.m. 
 

LEADING OFF

>> Washburn returns to MIAA play for a three-game road series against Northeastern State before returning to Falley Field to take on Fort Hays State. 

>> The Ichabods will face the RiverHawks for three games beginning Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m. in Tahlequah, Okla. The midweek game against the Tigers is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18 at 4 p.m.

>> After defeating No. 17 Augustana in the final of a two game series 8-6 on Wednesday afternoon Washburn improved to 12-9 on the year with a 5-4 mark in the MIAA. 

>> 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.

>> Northeastern State is 8-10 on the year with a 5-4 record in the MIAA. Last time out they fell 12-2 at home to Oklahoma Baptist on Tuesday. 

>> Fort Hays State is 13-5 on the year overall and 8-1 inside the MIAA. Last time out they won a three-game series with No. 25 Missouri Southern two games to one. They will face No. 29 Central Oklahoma for three games at home before facing the Ichabods. 

BODS AND BITS

>> Washburn is scoring 8.09 runs per game while opponents are at 6.62.

>> The Ichabods are 8-1 at Falley Field this season while going 3-6 in road contests and 1-3 in neutral site games. 

>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .304 with a .403 OB% and a .537 SLG%. They have hit 39 home runs with 49 doubles and drawn 100 walks while striking out 169 times. 

>> The pitching staff has a 6.53 ERA with 147 strikeouts across 180.2 innings with a 1.70 WHIP. They allowed 174 hits and issued 133 walks. 

>> Washburn has a .970 fielding percentage on the year, turning 13 double plays with 22 total errors. 

>> On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 17-25 in stolen base attempts while opponents are 30-33. 

>> Washburn is 5-0 in games against nationally ranked opponents this season. 

STREAKS AND STATS

>> Cash Jay carries a team-high 11 game hitting streak into the weekend. He is tied for the longest streak of any player this year with Hayden Priest who also had an 11-game hitting streak. 

>> Easton Bruce has reached base in each of the last 18 games. Darian Duhon's 20-game streak of reaching base came to an end last time out. 

>> Easton Bruce and Jett Buck each have six games with multiple RBI, most among all hitters. 

>> When leading off an inning, Ichabod hitters are slashing .391 on the year.  With the bases loaded the average goes up to .400. 

>> The pitching staff is holding left-handed hitting oppoonents to a .238 batting average. With runners on base opponents are hitting just .233. 

>> Washburn is outscoring opponents 35-21 in the fourth inning and 6-0 in extra innings. 

AROUND THE ORDER

>> Easton Bruce has started all 21 games in left field with a team-high 1.084 OPS. He is hitting .342 with six home runs and a team-best 23 RBI. He has also scored 26 runs, most on the team. He is 6th in the MIAA and 42nd in the nation in home runs. He is also 3rd in the conference in runs and 9th in RBI. 

>> Cash Jay has played and started in all 21 games and is hitting .329 with a 1.030 OPS. He has three home runs and has driven in 21 while working 16 walks for a team-high .460 OB%. He is 2nd in the MIAA in doubles and fifth in walks. 

>> Payton McHarg is slashing .288 on the year while starting in all 21 games. He has five home runs along with a team-high 20 walks for a .454 OB%. He has driven in 16 total and has a 1.016 OPS. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 18th nationally in walks. 

>> Hayden Priest is hitting .349 while starting in all 21 games. He has slashed six home runs with a team-high 30 total hits for a 1.058 OPS and has 21 RBI. The senior ranks second in the MIAA in total hits, 4th in total bases and tied for sixth in home runs. 

>> Jackson Mervosh has played in all 21 games making 20 starts and is hitting a team-high .351. He has three home runs and 19 RBI for a .958 OPS. He is also 2-2 on stolen base attempts. 

>> Darian Duhon has started all 21 games slashing .325 at the plate with a .916 OPS. He has 25 total hits with a pair of home runs and a pair of triples.He has driven in 13 runs and has a .435 OB%.

>> Jett Buck is slashing .271 with a .919 OBS while starting in all 21 games. He has a team-high seven home runs on the year with 22 total RBI. He ranks 3rd in the MIAA in home runs and 11th in RBI. 

>> Blake Scott is hitting .246 on the year while playing in 19 games and starting in 18. He has hit four home runs with 11 RBI. He has a .380 OB% and a .871 OPS. 

>> Connor Scott has started in 20 of 21 games he has played in, hitting .257 with two home runs and seven RBI. He has a team-high four stolen bases. 

>> Garrett Springer has played in nine games, making four starts, and is hitting .227 with a home run and six RBI. 

>> Chase Littrell has appeared in 10 games, making one start. He has scored five runs while hitting .286. 

ON THE MOUND

>> Caden Bressler has made six appearances with one start throwing 21.2 innings on the year. He is 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA, best among pitchers to make at least one start. He has struck out 10 with a .181 opponent batting average. He is third in the MIAA and 25th nationally in hits allowed per nine innings. 

>> Across five starts Caleb Lunnon has thrown 23.2 innings. He is 2-0 with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He has 16 strikeouts on the year and has not thrown a wild pitch. 

>> Cooper Carlgren has started five games and thrown a team-high 25.1 innings with a 5.68 ERA and 0-1 record. He has a team-most 20 strikeouts and a 1.46 WHIP while opponents are hitting .240. 

>> Piercen McElyea has thrown 18.1 innings across five starts. He is second on the team with 19 strikeouts and has a 0-1 record with a 5.40 ERA. 

>> Keegan McDonald has a 3.38 ERA across 8.0 innings in seven appearances with a 1-0 record. He has a 0.88 WHIP and has struck out 11 batters with opponents hitting just .148.

>> Griffin Huiatt has tied for a team-high seven appearances, including two starts. He has thrown 16.0 innings with a 5.63 ERA and nine strikeouts. With a 3-1 record he has the most wins of any pitcher. 

>> Cal Leonard has thrown in five games, tossing 6.1 innings with a 1-0 record and a team-best 1.42 ERA. He has struck out four. 

>> Kai Bennett is 2-1 on the year in seven appearances throwing 11.0 innings. He has a 5.73 ERA with 11 strikeouts and a 1.45 WHIP. 

>> Chase Torkelson has appeared in five games, making two starts. He has thrown 11.0 innings with a 7.36 ERA and nine strikeouts.  

>> Fidel Hatch has appeared in six games out of the bullpen and tossed 7.1 IP. He has a 9.82 ERA and struck out three. 

IN THE FIELD

>>  Excluding first basemen and catchers, Payton McHarg leads the team with 49 putouts in the field. He also has three assists. 

>>  Jett Buck has a team-high 58 assists from shortstop while also making 47 putouts, second most on the squad. He has also been part of 10 double plays. 

>> Jackson Mervosh is second on the team with 39 assists and has been part of nine double plays. 

>> Hayden Priest leads the team with 126 total putouts from behind home plate while Blake Scott has 120 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. 

NUMBERS AROUND THE NATION

>> As a team in 2025 Washburn has had strong seasons in several categories to be near the top in the conference and national ranks including...

Home runs - 39 (1st MIAA / 2nd nationally)

Slugging percentage - .537 (1st MIAA / 12th nationally)

Runs - 170 (1st MIAA / 36th nationally)

Fielding percentage - .970 (8th MIAA / 56th nationally)

Doubles - 49 (2nd MIAA / 18th nationally)

Hits allowed per nine innings - 8.67 (7th MIAA / 41st nationally)

Scoring 8.1 - (5th MIAA / 41st nationally)

Batting average .304 (5th MIAA / 61st nationally)

Walks - 100 (4th MIAA / 53rd nationally)

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 268-226 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

NORTHEASTERN STATE RIVERHAWKS

>> Northeastern State fell to 8-10 on the year on Tuesday after a 12-2 loss to Oklahoma Baptist. They are 5-4 inside the MIAA. 

>> Last season the RiverHawks went 20-30 overall and 11-22 inside the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament. 

>> In 2025, they are 2-5 at Rousey Field, 6-2 in road games and 0-3 in neutral field contests. 

>> Northeastern State is hitting .253 as a team with a .385 OB% and a .389 SLG%. They have 16 home runs with 139 strikeouts and 89 walks. 

>> They are 3rd in the MIAA in stole nbases and are eighth in walks. 

>> Austin Rees has played in 15 games making 10 starts and is hitting a team-high .356. He has driven in nine runs and is 4-5 in stolen base attempts. 

>> Gage Williams has played in all 15 games making 14 starts and leads the RiverHawks with a 1.092 OPS. He has three home runs with 14 RBI while hitting .340 and also has five stolen bases. His OB% is ninth in the MIAA. 

>> Colton Ayres has started in 13 of 14 games he has appeared in hitting .341. He has a 1.079 OPS with one home run and eight RBI. His .518 OB% leads the team and is sixth in the MIAA. 

>> The pitching staff has a 6.97 ERA across 151.0 innings with 146 strikeouts and 97 walks.

>> They are first in the MIAA at creating double plays and are 9th in WHIP. 

>> Braxton Jones has appeared and started in five games throwing a team-high 31.2 innings with 39 strikeouts, also a team-high. He is 3-1 on the year with a 3.13 ERA and one complete game. He has the third most strikeouts in the MIAA and is fifth in ERA. 

>> Gus Collins has made five starts, throwing 24.2 innings with 16 strikeouts. He has a 3-1 record with a 5.47 ERA. 

>> Izac Sizemore has made five appearances out of the bullpen throwing 10.0 innings with 11 strikeouts. He has a team-best 2.70 ERA with a 0-1 record and one save. 

HEAD COACH

>> Sunny Golloway enters his second season as the head baseball coach at Northeastern State University.

>> Before Golloway was hired as the head coach at Northeastern State, he was the head coach at East Central University for one year where he guided the Tigers to the program's most wins since 2017.

>> He 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, where he led the Sooners to seven NCAA Regional berths, four NCAA Super Regionals and the 2010 College World Series.

>> He attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College in Miami, Oklahoma, for one year before transferring to Oklahoma Christian College where he received his bachelor's degree in business in 1984.

SERIES HISTORY

>> Northeastern State leads the all-time series with Washburn 21-20. 

>> The Ichabods are 7-11 against the RiverHawks in Tahlequah. 

>> The series began on March 19, 1990 with a 8-2 win for Northeastern State in the first of two games on that day. 

>> Last season the Ichabods swept the season series, winning all three games in Tahlequah. 

>> The Ichabods average 8.17 runs per game against NESU. 

FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS

>> Fort Hays State improved to 13-5 on the year after finishing its series against No. 25 Missouri Southern with a 13-2 rubber match victory on March 10. They are 8-1 inside the MIAA and will face No. 29 Central Oklahoma for three games over the weekend before taking on Washburn. 

>> Last season the Tigers went 25-26 overall with a 12-21 record inside the MIAA. They lost in two games in the first round of the MIAA Tournament to No. 2 Central Missouri. 

>> This year they are 9-4 when playing in Hays, Kan. with a 4-1 road record and have not played a neutral field game. 

>> As a team they hit .316 with a .410 OB% and a .512 SLG%. They have tallied 24 home runs with 74 walks and 118 strikeouts. 

>> They rank third in the MIAA in batting average, fourth in slugging percentage and are also fourth in sacrifice flies. 

>> With a .380 batting average, Tony Moore leads the team while making 14 starts. He has a 1.072 OPS and has driven in 13 with one home run. 

>> Elliott Herrmann is hitting .313 while starting all 18 games with a team-high 1.204 OPS. He has slugged a team best seven home runs with 18 RBI. He is third in the MIAA and 18th nationally in home runs while also ranking third in the conference in SLG%. 

>> Trey DeGarmo is hitting .366 while starting and playing in all 18 games. He has a 1.113 OPS with six home runs and 22 RBI. His 26 total hits leads the Tigers. He is sixth in the MIAA in home runs and seventh in SLG%. 

>> The Tigers pitching staff has a 5.36 ERA across 151.0 innings with a 1.44 WHIP. They have 151 strikeouts while allowing 141 hits and 76 walks. 

>> They rank first in the MIAA with two complete games, are fourth in WHIP and fifth in strikeouts per nine innings. 

>> Ty Riley has made six starts throwing 34.1 innings with a team-high 46 strikeouts. His ERA of 2.10 is the lowest on the team and he has a 5-0 record with opponents hitting just .159. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 22nd nationally in hits allowed per nine innings while ranking also ranking 2nd in the MIAA and 9th nationally in strikeouts.

>> Brandon Chavez has made nine appearances out of the bullpen throwing 19.2 innings while striking out 22 with a .81 WHIP. He has a 2-0 record with a 2.29 ERA and has five saves. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 6th nationally in saves while ranking 2nd in the confernece in WHIP. 

>> Paul Panduro has made three starts throwing 15.1 innings with nine strikeouts. He is 1-1 on the year with a 2.35 ERA. 

HEAD COACH

>> Justin Wichert is entering his third season as head baseball coach at Fort Hays State University in 2024-25

>> Coach Wichert joined the Tiger staff after a four-season stint as head coach at Trinidad State College in Trinidad, Colo. The Stillwater, Okla. native led the Trojans to a record of 112-83 from 2019 until 2022

>> Before starting his head coaching career at TSC, Wichert served as assistant coach at three different institutions - University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Pittsburg State University and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

>> A right-handed pitcher in his playing days, Wichert played two seasons at Cowley Community College in 2002-03 before he was drafted in the 44th round of the 2003 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. He then went on to pitch at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. from 2004-06

SERIES HISTORY

>> Fort Hays State leads the all-time series with Washburn 101-87. 

>> The Ichabods are 45-43 against the Tigers at Falley Field. 

>> The series began on May 5, 1966 with a 7-3 win for Washburn in Omaha, Neb. 

>> Last season Washburn won all three games in Topeka and have won nine straight going back to 2021. 

>> The Ichabods average 5.35 runs per game all-time against Fort Hays State. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

>> Cash Jay holds the 21st highest career batting average in program history at .353. In home runs he is 15th with 18 and in doubles he is tied for 13th with 33 career two-bag hits. 

>> Payton McHarg is 6th in Washburn history with 26 home runs.

>> Griffin Huiatt is tied for 15th in program history with four saves and is tied for 25th in Ichabod history with 39 total appearances. 

>> With eight career triples Connor Scott is tied for seventh in program history. After sealing 40 career bags he is 16th among all Ichabods. 

>> Chase Torkelson has the 15th lowest opponent batting average in Washburn history at .262. In wins he is tied for 18th with 12. 

>> Jett Buck is tied for 11th among all Ichabods with 21 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 1371-1297-3 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 finishes out the week at home, hosting Missouri Western State for a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 21 at 4 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.