TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball begins a six-game roadtrip beginning with one game against No. 2 Central Missouri on Wednesday at 3 p.m. followed by a three-game series with Arkansas-Fort Smith beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn heads on the road for the next six games beginning one game against No. 2 Central Missouri and a road series with new MIAA foe Arkansas-Fort Smith.
>> The Ichabods will face the Mules at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and will begin the three-game series in Fort Smith against the Lions at 4 p.m. on Friday.
>> Washburn improved to 14-14 overall and 7-9 inside the MIAA with a 19-18 win over Missouri Western State in the series finale on Sunday.
>> 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.
>> Central Missouri moved to 19-6 overall and 13-3 in MIAA play with a 18-1 win over Rogers State in the series finale on Sunday.
>> Arkansas-Fort Smith is 8-18 on the year and 3-13 in conference play after falling 16-6 on the road to Northwest Missouri. They will face Rogers State for a midweek contest before taking on the Ichabods.
BODS AND BITS
>> Washburn is scoring 8.78 runs per game while opponents are at 8.10.
>> The Ichabods are 9-4 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 .303 with a .413 OB% and a .522 SLG%. They have hit 47 home runs with 63 doubles and drawn 141 walks while striking out 213 times.
>> The pitching staff has a 7.30 ERA with 190 strikeouts across 241.2 innings with a 1.80 WHIP. They allowed 258 hits and issued 177 walks.
>> Washburn has a .960 fielding percentage on the year, turning 17 double plays with 41 total errors.
>> On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 25-35 in stolen base attempts while opponents are 59-67.
>> Washburn is 5-0 in games against NCBWA nationally ranked opponents this season.
STREAKS AND STATS
>> Jett Buck has the current longest active hitting streak at 13 games heading into the week. Cash Jay previously had a season-long of 17 games.
>> Easton Bruce has reached base in each of the last 25 games, the longest streak of any player this year. Hayden Priest is currently riding a 23-game streak.
>> Jett Buck has ten games with multiple RBI, Jackson Mervosh and Easton Bruce have each had eight games driving in at least two.
>> When leading off an inning, Ichabod hitters have a .414 OB%, the number rises to .436% when the bases are loaded.
>> With two outs the Ichabod pitching staff is holding opponents to just a .250 average. With runners on base the average is .268.
>> Washburn is outscoring opponents 41-27 in the fourth inning and 6-1 in extra innings.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Hayden Priest is hitting .350 while starting in all 28 games. He has slashed seven home runs with a team-high 41 total hits for a 1.016 OPS. He has driven in 30 total and scored 29 runs. The senior ranks 5th in the MIAA in hits, seventh in home runs and eighth in total bases.
>> Jett Buck is slashing .313 with a 1.048 OBS, a team-high, while starting in all 28 games. He has a team-high 10 home runs on the year with 38 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 fourth in the conference in RBI and 6th in SLG%.
>> Cash Jay has played and started in all 28 games and is hitting .336 with a 1.032 OPS. He has three home runs and has driven in 27 while working 20 walks for a .471 OB%. His 13 doubles are a team-high. He is second in the MIAA and 8th in the nation in doubles, and is sixth in the conference in walks.
>> Easton Bruce has started all 28 games in left field with a .970 OPS. He is hitting .318 with six home runs and 31 RBI. He has also scored 34 runs, most on the team while going 3-4 on stolen base opportunities. He is 3rd in the MIAA in runs, 11th in home runs and ninth in walks.
>> Jackson Mervosh has played in all 28 games making 27 starts and is hitting .346 with a 1.003 OPS. He has five home runs and has driven in 29 RBI along with going 4-4 on stolen base attepts. He is 3rd in the MIAA in doubles, 10th in hits and total bases.
>> Payton McHarg is slashing .267 on the year while starting in all 28 games. He has six home runs along with a team-high 23 walks for a .444 OB%. He has driven in 23 total and has a .959 OPS. He is 3rd in the MIAA and 44th nationally in walks.
>> Darian Duhon has played in all 28 games, making 27 starts and slashing .286 at the plate with a .871 OPS. He has 28 total hits with a trio of home runs and a trio of triples.He has driven in 19 runs and has a .412 OB%.
>> Blake Scott is hitting .233 on the year while playing in 26 games and starting in 24. He has hit four home runs with 12 RBI. He has a .424 OB% and a .849 OPS. His 20 walks are tied for second most on the team and he is 3-3 in stolen base attempts.
>> Connor Scott has started in 27 of 28 games he has played in, hitting .286 with two home runs and 12 RBI. He has a team-high seven stolen bases.
>> Garrett Springer has played in 11 games, making five starts, and is hitting .241 with a home run and 11 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 nine appearances with two starts throwing 30.1 innings on the year. He is 1-2 with a 2.97 ERA, best among pitchers to make at least one start. He has struck out 13 with a .200 opponent batting average. He is fifth in the MIAA and 33rd nationally in hits allowed per nine innings while also ranking fifth in the MIAA in ERA.
>> Across six starts Caleb Lunnon has thrown 30.2 innings. He is 2-0 with a 6.16 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. He has 21 strikeouts on the year and has not thrown a wild pitch.
>> Cooper Carlgren has started seven games, throwing a team-high 33.1 innings with 26 strikeouts, also a team high. He is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA on the year.
>> Logan Bartlett has a team-best 2.00 ERA across seven appearances out of the bullpen. He has struck out six in 9.0 innings and is 1-0 with one save.
>> Max Clark has made nine appearances out of the bullpen, throwing 10.1 innings with 10 strikeouts and a 4.35 ERA.
>> 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 5.40 ERA across 10.0 innings in nine appearances with a 1-0 record. He has a 1.00 WHIP and has struck out 12 batters with one save.
>> Griffin Huiatt has tied for a team-high nine appearances, including three starts. He has thrown 19.2 innings with a 7.32 ERA and 14 strikeouts. With a 3-2 record he has the most wins of any pitcher.
>> Cal Leonard has thrown in eight games, tossing 9.2 innings with a 2-0 record and a 5.59 ERA. He has struck out five.
>> Kai Bennett is 2-2 on the year in nine appearances throwing 13.2 innings. He has a 7.24 ERA with 17 strikeouts and a 1.54 WHIP.
>> Chase Torkelson has appeared in seven games, making two starts. He has thrown 15.1 innings with a 8.80 ERA and 11 strikeouts.
>> Fidel Hatch has appeared in seven games out of the bullpen and tossed 9.0 IP. He has a 9.00 ERA and struck out four.
IN THE FIELD
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 79 putouts in the field.
>> Jett Buck has a team-high 79 assists from shortstop while also making 59 putouts, third most on the squad. He has also been part of 14 double plays.
>> Jackson Mervosh is second on the team with 62 assists and has been part of 13 double plays.
>> Hayden Priest and Blake Scott each have 170 putouts, tied for the most on the team.
>> Priest has also thrown out a team-high six 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 - 47 (1st MIAA / 4th nationally)
Slugging percentage - .522 (2nd MIAA / 18th nationally)
Hits - 298 (1st MIAA / 28th nationally)
Runs - 246 (1st MIAA / 20th nationally)
Doubles - 63 (3rd MIAA / 22nd nationally)
Scoring 8.8 - (3rd MIAA / 23rd nationally)
Batting average .303 (5th MIAA / 63rd nationally)
Walks - 141 (3rd MIAA / 46th nationally)
Hits allowed per nine innings - 9.61 (7th MIAA / 87th 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 270-231 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
CENTRAL MISSOURI MULES
>> Central Missouri improved to 19-6 overall and 10-3 inside the MIAA with a 18-1 win over Rogers State in game three of the series on Sunday.
>> Last season the Mules went 52-10 overall and 29-4 inside the MIAA, falling in the MIAA Tournament Championship and advancing to the NCAA World Series before falling 4-3 to Inidna (Pa.).
>> In 2025, they are 6-2 at Thompkins Field, 10-2 on the road and 3-2 in neutral field games.
>> Central Missouri is hitting .331 as a team with a .427 OB% and a .522 SLG%. They have 34 home runs with 175 strikeouts and 115 walks.
>> They are 1st in the MIAA in stolen bases, OB% and batting average while ranking second in scoring and third in hits.
>> Vance Tobol is hitting .374 with a team-high 1.316 OPS on the year while starting all 24 games. He has 13 home runs and 42 RBI while carrying a .859 SLG%. On the bases he is also 6-7 in stolen base attempts. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 8th nationally in home runs, is third in the conference in RBI and 2nd in SLG%.
>> Jacob Steele leads the team hitting .430 while starting all 24 games. He has a 1.157 OPS with four home runs and 23 RBI. Working 15 walks his OB% is .517, tops on the team. He is third in the MIAA in batting average, second in hits and fourth in OB%.
>> Dayvin Johnson is slashing .371 in 22 starts with a 1.111 OPS. He has six home runs to go along with 29 RBI. He is 6-7 in stolen base attempts as well. He is fifth in the conference in SLG% and tied for 7th in triples.
>> The pitching staff has a 4.40 ERA across 216.2 innings with 243 strikeouts and 100 walks.
>> They are 1st in the MIAA in strikeouts, hits allowed per nine innings and ERA while ranking second in WHIP.
>> Jack Scott has made eight appearances with six starts throwing 30.2 innings. He has a 2-1 record and 3.82 ERA with 29 strikeouts.
>> JD McReynolds has appeared in eight games with one start throwing 20.1 total innings. He has a 3-0 record and 1.33 ERA while striking out 32.
>> Jake Wilson has appeared in a team-high 10 games throwing 20.0 innings with 28 strikeouts. He has a 2.70 ERA and a 2-0 record on the year.
HEAD COACH
>> Kyle Crookes enters his 11th season as head coach of Mules Baseball in 2025 and his 13th season overall with the program after serving his first two seasons as the team's top assistant.
>> He has compiled a 398-133 overall record in 10 seasons, including a 253-70 mark in MIAA play. He has led the Mules to six MIAA Regular Season and six MIAA Tournament championships, and four NCAA Central Region crowns. In 2021, Crookes led the Mules to a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA-II College World Series.
>> Prior to coming to Warrensburg, Crookes spent the previous eight seasons as the head coach at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kan.
SERIES HISTORY
>> Central Missouri leads the all-time series with Washburn 93-29.
>> The Ichabods are 12-45 against the Mules in Warrensburg.
>> The series began on March 14, 1985 with a 8-7 win for Washburn in Topeka.
>> Last season the Ichabods faced off with Central Missouri five times, with the Mules taking three of five.
>> The Ichabods average 4.50 runs per game against UCO.
ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH LIONS
>> Arkansas-Fort Smith fell to 8-18 overall and 3-13 inside the MIAA after losing 16-6 to Northwest Missouri State on Sunday in the series finale. They will face Rogers State for one game on Tuesday before hosting the Ichabods.
>> Last season the Lions went 26-28 overall and 23-25 inside the LSC and playing six games inside the conference tournament before being knocked out by Texas Permian Basin.
>> In 2025, they are 3-9 at Crowder Field, 4-8 in road contests and 1-1 in neutral field games.
>> Arkansas-Fort Smith is hitting .268 as a team with a .371 OB% and a .394 SLG%. They have 16 home runs with 218 strikeouts and 105 walks.
>> They are sixth in the conference in doubles and fourth in sacrifice bunts.
>> Cooper White is hitting a team-high .352 across 24 games with a 1.044 OPS, also a team-high. He has hit three home runs and driven in 19 while going 7-9 in stolen base attempts. He is third in the MIAA in doubles and 14th nationally with 12.
>> Noah Davis is hitting .300 while starting all 26 games with a .876 OPS. He has five home runs with 25 RBI, both team highs.
>> JJ Young has played in 17 games making 15 starts and is hitting .354. He has a 1.063 OPS with a pair of home runs and 10 RBI.
>> The pitching staff has a 8.19 ERA across 210.0 innings with 175 strikeouts and 103 walks.
>> They are 7th in the MIAA in walks per nine innings.
>> Grant Shankle has made eight starts with a pair of complete games throwing 49.0 innings. He is 3-4 with a 4.59 ERA with 33 strikeouts.
>> Chase Pair has appeared in seven games with one start throwing 23.2 innings. He has a 3.43 ERA with 17 strikeouts, one complete game and one save.
>> Brayden Ross has started eight games throwing 46.1 innings with a 8.16 ERA. He has thrown 47 strikeouts, a team-high and has a 1-3 record.
HEAD COACH
>> Todd Holland is in his 11th season leading the Arkansas-Fort Smith baseball program. Through 10 seasons he compiled a record of 229-222.
>> Prior to joining the UAFS staff, Holland was head baseball coach at Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., where he compiled an overall record of 317-238.
>> He served the 2004 season as interim head coach and was officially named the head coach of the Cameron baseball team following a 2004 season, which produced the Aggies' first winning season in more than a decade. Holland rejoined the Aggie program in 2003 after spending time in uniform as a player and assistant at Cameron from 1997-99.
SERIES HISTORY
>> This weekend's meeting between Washburn and Arkansas-Fort Smith will be the first ever encounter with the new MIAA opponent.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cash Jay holds the 21st highest career batting average in program history at .354. 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 27 home runs.
>> Griffin Huiatt is tied for 15th in program history with four saves and is tied for 21st in Ichabod history with 41 total appearances.
>> With nine career triples Connor Scott is tied for fifth in program history. After sealing 43 career bags he is tied for 14th among all Ichabods.
>> Chase Torkelson has the 19th lowest opponent batting average in Washburn history at .266. In wins he is tied for 18th with 12.
>> Jett Buck is 10th among all Ichabods with 24 career home runs.
>> Easton Bruce is tied for 16th in program history with 17 home runs and is 23rd with 100 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 1373-1302-3 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 stays on the road for a pair of midweek meetings against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, April 1 and Northwestern Oklahoma State the next day.
>> 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.
