TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball remains at home hosting Missouri Western State for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. Saturday's game will begin at 2 p.m. with first pitch on Sunday set for 1 p.m. 
 

LEADING OFF

>> Washburn continues MIAA play hosting Missouri Western State for three games. 

>> The Ichabods will face the Griffons for three games beginning on Friday, March 21 at 4 p.m. First pitch on Saturday is at 2 p.m. with Sunday at 1. 

>> Washburn fell to 13-12 on the year and 6-7 in the MIAA after losing 7-5 to Fort Hays State on Tuesday. 

>> 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 Western fell to 3-19 on the year with a 2-11 record inside the MIAA in a 10-9 road loss to Emporia State on Tuesday. 

BODS AND BITS

>> Washburn is scoring 8.72 runs per game while opponents are at 7.48.

>> The Ichabods are 8-2 at Falley Field this season while going 4-7 in road contests and 1-3 in neutral site games. 

>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .308 with a .412 OB% and a .534 SLG%. They have hit 44 home runs with 60 doubles and drawn 122 walks while striking out 187 times. 

>> The pitching staff has a 6.91 ERA with 174 strikeouts across 213.2 innings with a 1.77 WHIP. They allowed 219 hits and issued 159 walks. 

>> Washburn has a .967 fielding percentage on the year, turning 16 double plays with 29 total errors. 

>> On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 20-29 in stolen base attempts while opponents are 49-56. 

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

STREAKS AND STATS

>> Cash Jay carries a team-high 15 game hitting streak into the weekend. He has the longest streak of the year for any player. Jett Buck is second on the team with a 10-game streak. 

>> Easton Bruce has reached base in each of the last 22 games, the longest streak of any player this year. Hayden Priest is currently riding a 20-game streak. 

>> Jett Buck has nine games with multiple RBI, Jackson Mervosh is second on the team with eight games of driving in eight runs. 

>> When leading off an inning, Ichabod hitters are slashing .414 on the year.  With the bases loaded the average goes up to .438. 

>> With two outs the Ichabod pitching staff is holding opponents to just a .255 average. With runners on base the average is .258. 

>> Washburn is outscoring opponents 39-27 in the fourth inning and 6-0 in extra innings. 

AROUND THE ORDER

>> Easton Bruce has started all 25 games in left field with a 1.024 OPS. He is hitting .337 with six home runs and 28 RBI. He has also scored 31 runs, most on the team while going 3-4 on stolen base opportunities. He is 3rd in the MIAA i nruns, 9th in home runs and 11th in hits. 

>> Cash Jay has played and started in all 25 games and is hitting .333 with a 1.042 OPS. He has three home runs and has driven in 27 while working 18 walks for a .459 OB%. His 13 doubles are a team-high. He is first in the MIAA and fifth in the nation in doubles, and is fifth in the conference in walks. 

>> Hayden Priest is hitting .356 while starting in all 25 games. He has slashed seven home runs with a team-high 37 total hits for a 1.049 OPS, also a team-high. He has driven in 29 total and scored 24 runs. The senior ranks 3rd in the MIAA in hits, seventh in home runs and sixth in total bases. 

>> Jackson Mervosh has played in all 25 games making 24 starts and is hitting a team-high .368 with a 1.02 OPS. He has five home runs and has driven in 29 RBI along with going 3-3 on stolen base attepts. He is fifth in the MIAA in doubles, eighth in hits and 9th in RBI. 

>> Jett Buck is slashing .298 with a .999 OBS while starting in all 25 games. He has a team-high nine home runs on the year with 31 RBI, also tops on the team. He ranks 3rd in the MIAA in home runs and 11th in RBI. He is 3rd in the MIAA and 18th nationally in home runs while ranking fifth in the conference in RBI. 

>> Payton McHarg is slashing .264 on the year while starting in all 25 games. He has five home runs along with a team-high 24 walks for a .454 OB%. He has driven in 19 total and has a .960 OPS. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 22nd nationally in walks. 

>> Darian Duhon has started all 25 games slashing .283 at the plate with a .824 OPS. He has 26 total hits with a pair of home runs and a pair of triples.He has driven in 14 runs and has a .411 OB%.

>> Blake Scott is hitting .258 on the year while playing in 22 games and starting in 23. He has hit four home runs with 11 RBI. He has a .438 OB% and a .908 OPS. His 18 walks are tied for second most on the team and he is 3-3 in stolen base attempts. 

>> Connor Scott has started in 24 of 25 games he has played in, hitting .291 with two home runs and ten RBI. He has a team-high four stolen bases. 

>> Garrett Springer has played in 10 games, making four starts, and is hitting .208 with a home run and six RBI. 

>> Chase Littrell has appeared in 11 games, making one start. He has scored five runs while hitting .286. 

ON THE MOUND

>> Caden Bressler has made eight appearances with two starts throwing 27.2 innings on the year, most on the squad. He is 1-2 with a 2.93 ERA, best among pitchers to make at least one start. He has struck out 12 with a .191 opponent batting average. He is fourth in the MIAA and 23rd nationally in hits allowed per nine innings while also ranking fourth in the MIAA in ERA.

>> Across six starts Caleb Lunnon has thrown 26.2 innings. He is 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He has 19 strikeouts on the year and has not thrown a wild pitch. 

>> Cooper Carlgren has started six games, throwing 27.1 innings with 21 strikeouts. He is 0-1 with a 7.90 ERA on the year. 

>> 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 eight appearances, including three starts. He has thrown 19.0 innings with a 6.63 ERA and 13 strikeouts. With a 3-2 record he has the most wins of any pitcher. 

>> Cal Leonard has thrown in seven games, tossing 8.2 innings with a 2-0 record and a 3.12 ERA. He has struck out four. 

>> Kai Bennett is 2-2 on the year in seven appearances throwing 13.1 innings. He has a 5.40 ERA with 17 strikeouts and a 1.43 WHIP. 

>> Chase Torkelson has appeared in six games, making two starts. He has thrown 14.0 innings with a 6.43 ERA and 10 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, Connor Scott leads the team with 69 putouts in the field.

>>  Jett Buck has a team-high 70 assists from shortstop while also making 51 putouts, second most on the squad. He has also been part of 13 double plays. 

>> Jackson Mervosh is second on the team with 51 assists and has been part of 12 double plays. 

>> Hayden Priest and Blake Scott each have 153 putouts, tied for the most on the team. 

>> Priest has also thrown out a team-high five 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 - 44 (1st MIAA / 3rd nationally)

Slugging percentage - .534 (2nd MIAA / 15th nationally)

Runs - 218 (1st MIAA / 18th nationally)

Doubles - 60 (3rd MIAA / 15th nationally)

Scoring 8.7 - (3rd MIAA / 25th nationally)

Batting average .308 (5th MIAA / 51st nationally)

Walks - 122 (5th MIAA / 58th nationally)

Hits allowed per nine innings - 9.22 (7th MIAA / 74th nationally)

Fielding percentage - .967 (10th MIAA / 79th 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 269-229 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 WESTERN GRIFFONS

>> Missouri Western moved to 3-19 overall and 2-11 on the year after falling 10-9 to Emporia State on Tuesday on the road. 

>> Last season the Griffons went 20-27 overall and 10-23 inside the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament. 

>> In 2025, they are 1-6 at the Griffon Baseball Field, 2-13 in road games and have not played a neutral field contest. 

>> Missouri Western is hitting .259 as a team with a .355 OB% and a .375 SLG%. They have 12 home runs with 170 strikeouts and 71 walks. 

>> They are 1st in the MIAA in sacrifice flies and second in sacrifice bunts. 

>> Blake Venneman leads the team hitting .338 and with a .448 OB%. He has played in 20 games making 18 starts, driving in six runs and stealing three bases. 

>> Frank Gall has played and started all 22 games. He is tied for a team-high with three home runs and has a .838 OPS. He has driven in 20 while hitting .291. He is 16-17 on stolen base attempts and is first in the MIAA and 23rd nationally in stolen bags. 

>> Anthony Taggart is hitting .303 with a team-high .857 OPS while starting in 17 of 18 games he has appeared in. He has one home run with 12 RBI. 

>> The pitching staff has a 7.96 ERA across 179.2 innings with 162 strikeouts and 130 walks.

>> They are 8th in the MIAA in strikeouts per nine innings. 

>> Lynden Bruegman has started in five games making six total appearances throwing 22.1 innings. He is 0-4 with a 4.84 ERA with 25 strikeouts on the year. 

>> Logan Winkelman has started in six games tossing a team-high 25.2 innings. He is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA while striking out a team-best 29.

>> Jayson Shorb has made eight appearances out of the bullpen throwing 12.1 innings. He is 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA, best on the team. He has 14 strikeouts on the year. 

HEAD COACH

>> Damian Stambersky is in his second season as the head coach at Missouri Western after being hired in May 2023.

>> He had previously worked as an assistant pitching coach at Missouri Western the year before. He also had a stint at Division I Radford University, with over 20 years of coaching experience.

>> Stambersky has also worked as an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as a recruiting coordinator at Kansas City Kansas Community College, as a pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at UCM, as the head coach at Colorado State-Pueblo, and as a pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Radford University.

SERIES HISTORY

>> Washburn leads the all-time series with Missouri Western 78-72.

>> The Ichabods are 37-35 against the Griffons at Falley Field. 

>> The series began on March 31, 1970 with a 5-2 win for Missouri Western in St. Joseph. 

>> Last season the Ichabods swept the season series, winning all three games on the road.. 

>> The Ichabods average 5.88 runs per game against MWSU. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

>> Cash Jay holds the 22nd highest career batting average in program history at .353. In home runs he is 15th with 18 and in doubles he is tied for 10th with 36 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 22nd in Ichabod history with 40 total appearances. 

>> With eight career triples Connor Scott is tied for seventh in program history. After sealing 41 career bags he is tied for 15th among all Ichabods. 

>> 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 10th among all Ichabods with 23 career home runs. 

>> Easton Bruce is tied for 16th in program history with 17 home runs and is 23rd with 97 RBI. 

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 1372-1300-3 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 heads on the road for a mid-week meeting with Central Missouri on Wednesday, March 26 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.