TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball continues its final regular season homestand hosting Emporia State for three games beginning on Friday, April 24 with a 5 p.m. first pitch. Game two is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. with a series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. 
 

LEADING OFF

>> Washburn continues its final homestand of the season facing off with Emporia State for three games.

>> The Ichabods take on the Hornets beginning Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m. for game one. Game two is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday with the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday. 

>> Washburn fell to 18-26 on the season and 14-16 in the MIAA after falling 7-6 to No. 14 Central Missouri last time out on April 21. 

>> The Ichabods are coming off a fourth straight winning season in 2025 going 28-25 overall and 18-18 inside the MIAA. They finished 7th in the regular season and won two games in the MIAA Tournament before falling in the semifinal round.

>> They were picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll for a second straight year.

BODS AND BITS

>> Washburn is scoring 8.07 runs per game on the year while opponents are scoring 8.11 runs per game. 

>> They are 9-7 playing at home at Steve Anson Stadium, 8-17 in road games and 1-2 in neutral field meetings.

>> At the plate the Ichabods are hitting .292 with a .408 OB% and a .457 SLG%. They have tallied 39 home runs with 234 total walks.

>> The pitching staff has a 6.88 ERA with 338 strikeouts across 380.2 innings. They have allowed 457 hits and issued 259 walks. 

>> Washburn has a .966 fielding percentage as a team with 56 errors and 20 turned double plays.

>> On the basepaths the Ichabods have gone 88-106 in stolen base attempts while opponents have gone 64-88. 

>> Washburn has returned 19 players from the 2025 roster with eight of them as  seniors, four juniors and seven sophomore. 

STREAKS AND STATS

>> Ian Luce has the longest current hitting streak at 23 games heading into the weekend, it is the longest hitting streak of any player this season.

>> Ian Luce has reached base in all 44 games, the only player to do so. Jack Borgmann's 16 game on-base streak is the second longest on the team.

>> Luce has a team-high 25 games with multiple hits. 

>> Washburn is reaching base at a .421 clip to lead off the inning. 

>> The Ichabods are hitting 11-37 (.297) when pinch hitting this season. Opponents are just 5-33 (.152) when pinch-hitting.

>> Washburn is outscoring opponents 98-66 over the eighth and ninth innings of games this season. They are 3-2 in extra innings this season.

AROUND THE ORDER

>> Ian Luce has started in all 44 games hitting .426 with a .516 OB% for a 1.202 OPS, all team-highs. He has 30 total extra-base hits including seven home runs and five triples. He has driven in 47 runs and is 18-21 in stolen base attempts. He is 1st in the MIAA and 2nd nationally in hits, 3rd in the MIAA and 23rd nationally in batting average while ranking 2nd in the conference in total bases and triples.

>> Levi Risenhoover is hitting .309 while starting in all 42 games he has appeared in. He leads the team with 11 home runs and a team-high 54 RBI while carrying a 1.012 OPS. He is 9-12 in stolen base attempts. He is 5th in the MIAA in doubles and home runs while ranking 6th in RBI.

>> Jack Borgmann has played in 43 games making 40 starts. He is hitting .315 with five home runs and 32 RBI to give him a 1.021 OPS. He is 15-16 in stolen base attempts and leads the team with 43 walks for a .497 OB%. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 9th in the nation in walks while ranking 12 in the conference in OB%.

>> Brandt Beeby has played in 33 games making 24 starts and is hitting .327 with a 1.025 OPS. He has driven in 25 runs with three triples and three home runs. He is also 7-9 in stolen base attempts.

>> Trenton Barry has played in 43 games making 41 starts hitting .291 with a .815 OPS. He has hit two home runs with three triples while driving in 25. He has a .403 OB% while going 13-15 in stolen base attempts. He ranks 4th in the MIAA in triples.

>> Jackson Mervosh has played and started in all 44 games and is hitting .257 with a .728 OPS. He has 14 doubles with one home run while driving in 22 runs on the year. He has a .374 OB% and is 4-4 in stealing bases. He is 13th in the conference in doubles.

>> Easton Wasinger has played in 33 games making 29 starts. He is hitting .298 with a .872 OPS. He has driven in 30 runs with four home home runs and has a .381 OB%.

>> Chase Littrell is hitting .243 with a .740 OPS while playing in 27 games and making 23 starts. He has hit one home run with 22 RBI and is 8-9 stealing bases. He has worked 20 walks with a .416 OB%.

>> Brooks Richardson has played in 40 games making 39 starts. He is hitting .260 with 13 RBI and one home run with a .378 OB%.

>> Owen Laessig has started in 36 games and played in 33. He is hitting .244 with 17 RBI and a home run while going 2-3 in stolen base attempts.

>> Eli Dean has appeared in 23 games making 14 starts. He is hitting .218 with seven RBI and one home run while going 5-6 stealing bases.

>> Jarrett Herrmann has played in 22 games making nine starts. He is hitting .205 with a .364 OB%. He is 4-5 in stolen base attempts.

ON THE MOUND

>> Kai Bennett has thrown 52.2 innings over his 11 starts. He leads the team with 54 strikeouts and has a 5.30 ERA. He is 2-4 on the year with a 1.65 WHIP. He is 5th in the MIAA in strikeouts per nine innings.

>> Maclane Finley leads team throwing 58.1 innings across his 11 starts this season. He has struck out 41 batters and has a 5.86 ERA and 5-3 record,  a team-high in victories. He has thrown into the fifth inning in every start.

>> Fidel Hatch has pitched in 16 games making one start and throwing 36.1 innings and striking out 30. He has a team-best 4.95 ERA to go along with a 2-2 record and is tied for a team-high with one save.

>> Mark Hoffmann has pitched in 17 games making six starts. He has thrown 38.1 innings with 29 strikeouts and a 5.87 ERA. He has a 2-4 record on the year with one save.

>> Caleb Lunnon has made nine starts for the Ichabods with 11 total appearancesthrowing 36.2 innings on the year. He has struck out 40 batters. He  is 1-2 on the year with a 10.31 ERA.

>> Blake Priest has pitched in 13 games out of the bullpen throwing 17.0 innings. He has one save with 19 strikeouts and has a 5.82 ERA.

>> Max Strash has appeared in 15 games out of the bullpen for the Ichabods throwing 14.0 innings. He has 13 strikeouts with an ERA of 7.07.

>> Gavin Wilhelm has pitched in 11 games while making two starts. He has a 2-0 record across 24.0 innings with 22 strikeouts and a 6.00 ERA.

>> Griffin Huiatt has made 18 appearances with two starts tossing 26.1 innings. He has 21 strikeouts, a 3-2 record and 6.15 ERA.

>> Braden Cork has made nine appearances with two starts throwing 15.1 innings. He has 10 strikeouts with a 8.80 ERA. 

>> Sean Kingston has made eight appearances throwing 9.1 innings and striking out five with a 5.79 ERA.

>> Keegan McDonald has appeared in ten games out of the bullpen throwing 9.0 innings with seven strikeouts and a 9.00 ERA.

>> Max Clark has made 11 appearances out of the bullpen throwing 10.0 innings. He is 0-1 on the year with 12 strikeouts and a 10.80 ERA.

IN THE FIELD

>>  Excluding first basemen and catchers, Levi Risenhoover leads the team with 80 putouts, Ian Luce is second on the team with 67.

>> Jackson Mervosh leads the team with 109 assists, Trenton Barry is second on the team with 101.

>> Brooks Richardson has a team-high 288 putouts from behind the plate while Jack Borgmann has 239 playing mostly at first base.

>> Richardson has thrown out a team-high 17 would-be base stealers this season.

NUMBERS AROUND THE NATION

>> As a team in 2026 Washburn stacks up to the rest of the nation and conference well in several areas...

Walks  - 234 (5th MIAA / 35th nationally)

Doubles per game - 2.45 (1st MIAA / 11th nationally) 

Sacrifice bunts - 21 (7th MIAA / 70th nationally)

Stolen bases - 88 (3rd MIAA / 46th nationally)

Triples per game  - 0.36 (4th MIAA / 29th nationally)

Sacrifice flies - 25 (4th MIAA / 50th nationally)

Scoring - 8.1 runs per game (8th MIAA / 66th nationally) 

Hits - 453 (6th MIAA / 50th nationally)

Strikeouts per nine innings - 8.0 (4th MIAA / 76th nationally)

Fielding percentage - .966 (9th MIAA / 76th nationally) 

HEAD COACH HARLEY DOUGLAS

>> Former Washburn All-MIAA outfielder Harley Douglas enters his 12th season at the helm of the Washburn baseball program in 2025.

>> In his eleven plus season, Douglas carries an all-time record of 302-268 with seven appearances in the MIAA Tournament and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2022.

>> He has also coached a total of 72 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 eighth season with the Ichabods on the coaching staff.

>> He began his coaching career 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 third 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

>> Caden Bressler moves from the starting rotation to the coaching staff for the 2026 season in his first as a coach.

>> He finished his three-year career with the Ichabods in 2025where he appeared in 62 games as a hitter and 32 on the mound. He throw 113.2 total innings with a 6-6 record and three saves.

>> Bressler graduated with his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Washburn in 2025. 

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

EMPORIA STATE HORNETS

>> Emporia State improved to 31-13 overall and 18-12 in the MIAA after defeating Fort Hays State 25-15 in seven innings last time out against Fort Hays State.

>> Last season the Hornets went 23-25 overall and 16-20 in the MIAA, they advanced to the first round of the MIAA Tournament.

>> John Martin is in his first season as the head coach at Emporia State. He spent the previous 10 seasons at Central Oklahoma.

>> They are 15-7 on the year playing at home, 7-5 on the road and 9-1 in neutral field games.

>> Emporia State is scoring 9.48 runs per game while opponents are scoring 5.57 per outing.

>> The Hornets offense is hitting .314 as a team with a .445 OB% and a .530 SLG%. They have 66 home runs and have tallied 264 total walks with 293 strikeouts.

>> They rank 2nd in the MIAA in total runs and home runs, ranking 14th in the nation. They are 3rd in the conference and 11th nationally in walks.

>> Logan Myers has played and started in all 44 games and is hitting .421 with a 1.169 OPS. He has tallied three home runs and driven in 32 runs along with five stolen bases. He leads the MIAA with 20 doubles and is 2nd in OB% while ranking top-10 nationally in both.

>> Noah Steele is hitting .387 for the Hornets while starting in all 44 games. He has a team-best 1.313 OPS, 16 home runs and 60 RBI while also going 9-9 stealing bases. He is 2nd in the MIAA and 16th nationally in home runs and is also 2nd in the conference in SLG%.

>> The pitching staff has a 4.88 ERA as a team across 365.1 innings. They have struck out 296 batters while walking 158 and allowing 364 total hits.

>> The Hornets lead the MIAA with six shutouts and are 2nd in the conference in walks allowed per nine innings and in double plays.

>> Colby Deaver has made 12 starts for Emporia State throwing 74.2 innings. He has struck out 76 batters while walking just nine with a 1.33 ERA, .80 WHIP and is 9-2. He is 1st in the MIAA and 2nd in the nation in ERA while leading the conference in WHIP, victories and strikeouts.

>> Grant Huffman has made 17 appearances out of the bullpen throwing 28.1 innings. He has struck out 22 batters and carries a 0.95 ERA and .85 WHIP. He leads the team with seven saves and has a 2-0 record. He leads the MIAA and is 7th in the nation in saves.

>> Emporia State leads the all-time series between the two teams 154-80-1. Washburn is 47-73-1 at home against the Hornets.

>>The first meeting came on April 22, 1958 and was a 3-1 win for the Ichabods in locations unknown. Last season Washburn took two out of three games on the road.

MILESTONE MARKERS

>> Griffin Huiatt is 2nd in program history with 71 career appearances. He ranks tied for 5th among all players with seven career saves. 

>> Jackson Mervosh is tied for 8th in Washburn history with 38 doubles. 

>> Fidel Hatch is tied for 16th in program history with four career saves. 

>> Ian Luce's current .426 batting average is the 7th best in a single-season in program history. He is already 6th in program history with 80 his this season and tied for 9th in both doubles and triples in a season.

>> Jack Borgmann's 43 walks are the 11th most most in a single season in program history.

WASHBURN BASEBALL HISTORY

>> The 2026 season will be the 74th year of Washburn Baseball.

>> The Ichabods have a 1405-1339-3 record in program history. 

>> There have been 35 seasons with 20+ wins; 25 seasons with 25+ wins; and 13 seasons with 30+ wins.

>> Washburn has earned 34 All-Region selections and 14 All-America awards.

ON DECK

>> Washburn wraps up the regular season with a three-game series against Pittsburg State beginning Thursday, April 30.

>> Senior day for the Ichabods will be on the regular season finale May 2 against Pittsburg State at 1 p.m.

>> The single elimination MIAA Tournament will be held in Edmond, Okla. at Wendell Simmons Field between May 6-10.