By RICK PETERSON
The Washburn University softball team wraps up its home schedule this weekend, hosting Missouri Western on Saturday and Northwest Missouri on Sunday in MIAA doubleheaders.
Erin Boles is one of five seniors who will be honored by Washburn softball Sunday at Gahnstrom Field. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]Saturday's twinbill will start at 2 p.m. while Sunday's doubleader will start at 1 p.m., with the Ichabods honoring seniors Sadie Walker, Erin Boles, Danielle Schlader, Kate Ediger and Jenna Sprague between games.
"At times it has felt like I've been here forever, but as of right now it feels like I was just moving in yesterday to the dorms,'' Boles said.
Boles, Schlader and Walker have all been in the Washburn program for her entire college career.
"I'm super grateful for all my time here and all the experiences we've had,'' Schlader said. "I think (Sunday) will bring out some emotions.''
The Ichabods are 30-17 overall and 7-11 in the MIAA and enter the weekend in ninth place in the conference standings. Northwest Missouri is 8-8 one spot ahead of Washburn and Missouri Western is 5-11, one spot behind the Ichabods.
Washburn has clinched its fifth 30-win season in a row and will be looking to cement its spot in the MIAA tournament with a big weekend.
Washburn has clinched its fifth 30-win season in a row and will be looking to cement its spot in the MIAA tournament with a big weekend.
The Ichabods rolled to a 9-0, 11-2 road sweep at Newman last time out last Saturday.
"I feel like as a team our competitiveness has really increased,'' Boles said. "After UCM we were just so frustrated with losing and we finally got our competitive spirit back and we're going to use that as fuel, especially for this next couple of games.''
Sophomore Makenzie Sais became the Ichabods' single-season leader in stolen bases against Montana State Billings and enters the weekend with a nation-best 64 stolen bases, 20 ahead of the No. 2-ranked player.
Sais is just one steal off the MIAA single-season record of 65 set by Becca Alt from Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T) set in 1997.
Sais is ranked 10th in the nation in hits with 65 and has reached base in each of the last 13 games and leads the Ichabods with 20 multi-hit games.
Senior pitcher Sadie Walker ranks second on Washburn's career strikeout list. [File photo/TSN]Walker went over the 500 career strikeout mark last weekend and has 515 entering this weekend, ranking second on the Ichabod career chart.
Missouri Western is 24-15 overall and 5-11 in the MIAA and have lost their last seven games entering the weekend.
Kalee Higdon leads the Griffons with a .317 batting average with team-highs of 30 runs scored, 40 hits and nine doubles.
Ashlyn Finarty has a team-best 11 home runs and 30 RBI.
Harley Pruetting is 9-4 in the pitcher's circle for Western with a 2.90 earned run average.
Northwest Missouri is 28-13 and 8-8 in the MIAA and was scheduled to face Emporia State before traveling to Topeka.
Northwest Missouri is 28-13 and 8-8 in the MIAA and was scheduled to face Emporia State before traveling to Topeka.
Emma Hague is batting a team-best .358 with 10 doubles and Omara Love is batting .356 with 48 hits and 25 runs scored.
Jadyn Streigle is 14-4 in the circle with a 1.78 ERA, holding opponents to a .225 batting average. Rien Moore is 10-4 with a 3.65 ERA.
Washburn will wrap up the MIAA regular season on May 2 at Emporia State. The MIAA Tournament is scheduled for May 6-10 in Emporia for the top 10 teams in the final conference standings.
