By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team will be in action for the first time in three weeks and for the first time in Topeka since nearly a year when the Ichabods host the Washburn Invitational presented by the Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel Friday through Sunday.
The Ichabods will play five games in an event that will include 12 other schools -- four from the MIAA, four from the Great Lakes Valley Conference and four from the NCIC.
Games are scheduled to be played at Gahnstrom Field on the Washburn campus as well as Hummer Sports Park. The Lake Shawnee Complex could also be used if wet weather comes into play.
Washburn is scheduled to play one game on Friday and two on Saturday and Sunday, with all of the Ichabods game at Gahnstrom Field.
Washburn, which has not played at home since March 7, 2020, enters the weekend 2-2 after its first action of the season at the Lubbock Christian Invitational Feb. 5-6.
Pitcher Raegen Hamm and the Ichabod softball team will host the Washburn Invitational Friday through Sunday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods have three players returning who earned all-MIAA honors in 2019 (all-MIAA teams were not picked after the abbreviated 2020 season) -- junior pitcher Raegen Hamm, senior outfielder Brianna Fuchs and sophomore pitcher Bailey Zuniga.
Hamm was a second-team all-MIAA selection in ‘19 while Fuchs and Zuniga received honorable mention.
Washburn was picked fifth in the 2021 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
Marrit Mead led the Ichabods with 5 hits during the weekend in Lubbock, including a triple and tying for the team lead with three runs scored.
Maddie Stipsits had 4 hits and Cailey Oldemeyer drove in 3 runs while Hadley Kerschen and Bri Francis each drove in 2 runs.
Hamm was 1-1 in the circle with a 2.69 earned run average striking out nine in 13 innings of action.
Brenda Holaday is 107-85 in her fifth season as Washburn’s softball coach after coaching the previous 19 seasons at Washburn Rural and compiling a 351-93 record.
Holaday led the Junior Blues to three Class 6A state championships, five 2nd-place state finishes and 3 3rd-place state finishes.
A look at Washburn’s weekend opponents:
TRUMAN
4 p.m. Friday at Gahnstrom Field
- The Bulldogs are 2-4 this season and have lost their last four games after opening the season with six games in St. Cloud, Minn.
- The Bulldogs were picked ninth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason coaches poll.
- The Bulldogs were 5-7 in their abbreviated season last year.
- The Ichabods lead the all-time series with Truman at 34-32 and the two teams have not played since April 28, 2013.
MCKENDREE
3 p.m. Saturday at Gahnstrom Field
- The Bearcats are opening the season this weekend in Topeka.
- McKendree was selected 13th in the 2021 Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll.
- Ashley Flemming enters her fifth season as the Bearcats head coach. She has amassed a 123-106 record during her time at McKendree, including an 8-6 record in 2020 before the season was shut down due to COVID-19.
- McKendree leads the all-time series with WU 2-0 after sweeping a doubleheader on Feb. 25, 2018.
MARY
5 p.m. Saturday at Gahnstrom Field
- The Marauders are 0-4 this season after opening the year at the Minot Dome Tournament in North Dakota.
- UMary was projected to finish 11th in the NSIC according to the preseason coaches poll.
- Washburn leads the all-time series 4-0 and have not met since March 17, 2017 in an 8-1 Ichabod win.
SIOUX FALLS
12 p.m. Sunday at Gahnstrom Field
- The Cougars are opening their season this weekend in Topeka.
- Sioux Falls was picked to finish ninth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- USF, which is coming off an 11-8 season cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, returns 12 student-athletes from last season's squad.
- The series is tied 2-2 after the Cougars took both meetings last season including a 1-0 win last season in the Ichabod Invitational.
MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
4 p.m. Sunday at Gahnstrom Field
- The Tritons are opening the season in Topeka this weekend.
- Missouri-St. Louis was tabbed for a third-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- UMSL owned a 12-12 record last spring before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tritons were 35-19 and won their fifth GLVC Tournament championship in 2019.
- Washburn leads the series 7-5 topping the Tritons in the last meeting on Feb. 29, 2020 in the Ichabod Invitational.
