TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball stays on the road to begin the week facing Fort Hays State at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Northwestern Oklahoma State on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
LEADING OFF
>> Washburn completes its road trip facing Fort Hays State and Northwestern Oklahoma State in midweek contests.
>> The Ichabods will face the Tigers at 2 p.m. on Tuesday before exiting conference play to take on the Rangers at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
>> Washburn improved to 17-15 overall and 10-10 inside the MIAA by completing a three-game sweep of Arkansas-Fort Smith with a 19-10 win in game three 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.
>> Fort Hays State is 21-8 on the year and 16-4 in the MIAA after losing 11-4 to No. 3 Central Missouri in game three of the series on Sunday.
>> Northwestern Oklahoma State improved to 20-14 overall after completing a sweep of Southern Nazarene, winning 16-8 on Saturday. They will face Oklahoma Panhandle State on Monday afternoon.
BODS AND BITS
>> Washburn is scoring 9.00 runs per game while opponents are at 7.88.
>> The Ichabods are 9-4 at Falley Field this season while going 7-8 in road contests and 1-3 in neutral site games.
>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .306 with a .413 OB% and a .522 SLG%. They have hit 54 home runs with 72 doubles and drawn 157 walks while striking out 234 times.
>> The pitching staff has a 7.12 ERA with 227 strikeouts across 276.2 innings with a 1.80 WHIP. They allowed 295 hits and issued 201 walks.
>> Washburn has a .960 fielding percentage on the year, turning 17 double plays with 46 total errors.
>> On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 31-42 in stolen base attempts while opponents are 64-72.
>> Washburn is 5-1 in games against NCBWA nationally ranked opponents this season.
STREAKS AND STATS
>> Hayden Priest has the longest current hitting streak at 12 games, his personal longest of the season. Cash Jay had the previous longest of 17 games that came to an end over the weekend.
>> Priest has also reached base in each of the last 27 games, the longest streak both currently and overall on the team. Cash Jay is riding a 22-game streak of reaching base.
>> Jett Buck has 11 games with multiple RBI including two games with five or more. Easton Bruce is second with 10 such games.
>> When leading off an inning, Ichabod hitters have a .428 OB%, the number is at .420% when the bases are loaded.
>> With two outs the Ichabod pitching staff is holding opponents to just a .248 average. With runners on base the average is .266.
>> Washburn is outscoring opponents 52-24 in the fifth inning and 6-1 in extra innings.
AROUND THE ORDER
>> Hayden Priest is hitting .356 while starting in all 32 games. He has slashed seven home runs with a team-high 48 total hits for a .993. He has driven in 35 total and scored 32 runs. The senior ranks 5th in the MIAA in hits while ranking ninth in both home runs and total bases.
>> Jett Buck is slashing .315 with a 1.073 OBS, a team-high, while starting in all 32 games. He has a team-high 12 home runs on the year with 43 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 16th nationally in home runs while ranking fourth in the conference in RBI and 6th in SLG%.
>> Cash Jay has played and started in all 32 games and is hitting .341 with a 1.057 OPS. He has five home runs and has driven in 34 while working 21 walks for a .472 OB%. He is third in the MIAA and 21st in the nation in doubles, and is 9th in walks and 10th in hits.
>> Easton Bruce has started all 32 games in left field with a .951 OPS. He is hitting .310 with seven home runs and 36 RBI. He has also scored 38 runs, most on the team while going 3-4 on stolen base opportunities. He is 5th in the MIAA in runs, ninth in both RBI and home runs.
>> Jackson Mervosh has played in all 32 games making 31 starts and is hitting .341 with a .977 OPS. He has five home runs and has driven in 33 RBI along with going 4-4 on stolen base attepts. His 14 doubles are a team-high. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 13th nationally in doubles.
>> Payton McHarg is slashing .293 on the year while starting in all 32 games. He has six home runs along with a team-high 24 walks for a .458 OB%. He has driven in 25 total and has a .984 OPS. He is 5th in the MIAA and 66th nationally in walks.
>> Darian Duhon has played in 30 games, making 29 starts and slashing .290 at the plate with a .882 OPS. He has 31 total hits with a trio of home runs and a trio of triples. He has driven in 19 runs and has a .415 OB%.
>> Blake Scott is hitting .244 on the year while playing in 30 games and starting in 28. He has hit five home runs with 16 RBI. He has a .421 OB% and a .863 OPS. His 22 walks are second most on the team and he is 4-5 in stolen base attempts.
>> Connor Scott has started in 31 of 32 games he has played in, hitting .281 with two home runs and 16 RBI. He has a team-high eight stolen bases.
>> Garrett Springer has played in 13 games, making five starts, and is hitting .281 with a home run and 10 RBI.
>> Chase Littrell has appeared in 12 games, making one start. He has scored five runs while hitting .286.
ON THE MOUND
>> Caden Bressler has made ten appearances with three starts throwing 34.2 innings on the year. He is 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA, best among pitchers to make at least one start. He has struck out 15 with a .232 opponent batting average. He is seventh in the MIAA in hits allowed per nine innings at 7.53.
>> Cooper Carlgren has started eight games, throwing a team-high 40.1 innings with 36 strikeouts, also a team high. He is 1-1 with a 5.58 ERA on the year. Last time out he struck out 10 batters in seven innings, tying a career high.
>> Across seven 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.
>> Logan Bartlett has a team-best 2.45 ERA across eight appearances out of the bullpen. He has struck out eight in 11.0 innings and is 1-0 with one save.
>> Max Clark has made 11 appearances out of the bullpen, throwing 12.2 innings with 14 strikeouts and a 3.55 ERA. He is 1-1 on the year.
>> Piercen McElyea has thrown 18.1 innings across five starts. He has19 strikeouts with an 0-1 record and a 5.40 ERA.
>> Keegan McDonald has a 5.06 ERA across 10.2 innings in 11 appearances with a 1-0 record. He has a 1.03 WHIP and has struck out 13 batters with one save.
>> Griffin Huiatt has made 10 appearances, including four starts. He has thrown 24.2 innings with a 6.93 ERA and 17 strikeouts. With a 3-3 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 11 appearances throwing 15.2 innings. He has a 6.32 ERA with 21 strikeouts and a 1.53 WHIP.
>> Chase Torkelson has appeared in eight games, making three starts. He has thrown 20.1 innings with a 7.08 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
>> Fidel Hatch has appeared in nine games out of the bullpen and tossed 12.0 IP. He has a 6.75 ERA and struck out seven.
IN THE FIELD
>> Excluding first basemen and catchers, Connor Scott leads the team with 85 putouts in the field.
>> Jett Buck has a team-high 83 assists from shortstop while also making 71 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 has a team-high 203 putouts while Blake Scott has 188 at first base.
>> 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 - 54 (2nd MIAA / 5th nationally)
Slugging percentage - .522 (3rd MIAA / 24th nationally)
Hits - 348 (1st MIAA / 21st nationally)
Runs - 288 (1st MIAA / 17th nationally)
Doubles - 72 (3rd MIAA / 20th nationally)
Scoring 9.0 - (2nd MIAA / 20th nationally)
Batting average .306 (3rd MIAA / 61st nationally)
Walks - 157 (3rd MIAA / 43rd nationally)
Hits allowed per nine innings - 9.60 (7th MIAA / 85th 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 273-232 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
FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS
>> Fort Hays State fell to 21-8 overall and 16-4 in MIAA play after falling to No. 3 Central Missouri 11-4 in the final game of the series on Sunday.
>> 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 13-4 when playing in Hays, Kan. with a 8-4 road record and have not played a neutral field game.
>> As a team they hit .306 with a .400 OB% and a .504 SLG%. They have tallied 44 home runs with 109 walks and 195 strikeouts.
>> They rank third in the MIAA in home runs, fourth in batting average and fifth in slugging percentage.
>> Elliott Herrmann is hitting .337 while starting 26 games with a team-high 1.149 OPS. He has slugged nine home runs with 26 RBI. He is fourth in the MIAA in SLG% and sixth in home runs.
>> Trey DeGarmo is hitting .362 on the year while starting in all 29 games. He has a 1.107 OPS with a team-high 10 home runs and 39 RBI. He ranks fourth in the MIAA in home runs and fifth in RBI.
>> Derek Woolwine is hitting .365 while starting in 28 games. He has tallied six home runs with 18 RBI for a 1.065 OPS.
>> The Tigers pitching staff has a 5.61 ERA across 247.0 innings with a 1.49 WHIP. They have 227 strikeouts while allowing 252 hits and 117 walks.
>> They rank fifth in the MIAA in all of ERA, hits allowed per nine innings and strikeouts per nine innings.
>> Ty Riley has made nine starts throwing 51.2 innings with a team-high 61 strikeouts. His ERA of 2.76 is the lowest on the team and he has a 5-1 record with opponents hitting just .181. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 15th nationally in strikeouts, 3rd in the MIAA in ERA and fifth in WHIP.
>> Brandon Chavez has made 15 appearances out of the bullpen throwing 32.2 innings while striking out 39 with a .86 WHIP. He has a 5-0 record with a 3.03 ERA has eight saves. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 6th nationally in WHIP while ranking first in the MIAA and third in the nation in saves.
>> Paul Panduro has made six starts throwing 31.2 innings with 19 strikeouts. He is 2-2 on the year with a 3.98 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 102-87.
>> The Ichabods are 36-52 against the Tigers in Hays.
>> The series began on May 5, 1966 with a 7-3 win for Washburn in Omaha, Neb.
>> Fort Hays State won the only meeting between the two teams this season 7-5 in Topeka on March 18.
>> The Ichabods average 5.35 runs per game all-time against Fort Hays State.
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS
>> Northwestern Oklahoma State improved to 20-14 overall with a 16-8 win over Southern Nazarene on Saturday. They will face Oklahoma Panhandle State for one game before taking on the Ichabods.
>> Last season the Rangers went 31-20 overall with a 19-13 record in the GAC. They fell in the first round of the GAC Tournament.
>> In 2025, they are 10-6 playing at Glass Family Field at Myers Stadium with a 10-8 road record and have not played a neutral field game.
>> Northwestern Oklahoma State is hitting .308 as a team with a .412 OB% and a .484 SLG%. They have 37 home runs with 228 strikeouts and 176 walks.
>> Connor Green is hitting a team-high .395 while playing in 33 games and starting in 32. He has five home runs with 35 RBI for a 1.041 OPS. He is 2nd in the GAC in batting average and hits.
>> Carson Wright is slashing .331 with a 1.005 OPS after playing in 34 games with 33 starts. He has a team-high eight home runs along with 34 RBI.
>> Chad Green has a 1.053 OPS, a team-high along with a .333 average playing in 29 games with 24 starts. He has 34 RBI and is 2-2 in stolen bases.
>> The pitching staff has a 5.98 ERA across 274.0 innings with 229 strikeouts and 136 walks.
>> Will Kates has made nine starts throwing 54.1 total innings. He has a 2.48 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with a 5-2 record and 36 strikeouts with opponents hitting .211. He is 2nd in the GAC in ERA and 49th nationally in hits allowed per nine.
>> Elias Herrera has made 10 appearances out of the bullpen throwing 26.0 innings with 20 strikeouts. He has a 3.81 ERA and 2-1 record with one save.
HEAD COACH
>> Ryan Bowen is in his eighth season as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State in 2025.
>> In his seven years at Northwestern, his team has compiled a record of 159-154.
>> Before arriving at Northwestern, Bowen was the lead assistant at Great American Conference foe, Southeastern Oklahoma State for five seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
>> Washburn leads the all-time series with Northwestern Oklahoma State 2-1.
>> All three games have been road contests for the Ichabods.
>> The series began on February 6, 2020 with a 6-3 win for Washburn in Alva.
>> The last meeting came on February 12, 2022 and was a 12-10 win for the Ichabods.
MILESTONE MARKERS
>> Cash Jay holds the 19th highest career batting average in program history at .355. In home runs he is tied for 13th with 20 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 19th in Ichabod history with 42 total appearances.
>> With nine career triples Connor Scott is tied for fifth in program history. After sealing 44 career bags he is tied for 13th among all Ichabods.
>> Chase Torkelson has the 21st lowest opponent batting average in Washburn history at .268. In wins he is tied for 17th with 13.
>> Jett Buck is 7th among all Ichabods with 26 career home runs.
>> Easton Bruce is 16th in program history with 18 home runs and is tied for 20th with 105 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 1376-1303-3 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 return from its road trip for four games at home beginning with a weekend series against Rogers State starting Friday 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.
