Head coach Steve Anson is leading the Washburn baseball team into his 35th season at Washburn. Anson is considered the winningest coach active in the MIAA with 818-774-3 record at WU and is looking forward to this year’s season with his players.

“I know it’s going to be a competitive year again in the MIAA,” said  Anson. “There’s a lot of good teams, probably more balanced than any other time we have been in the league. We added four teams last year and that created even more competition in the league and created a more balanced league because the four teams we brought in all good baseball teams.”

The Ichabod’s season this year is packed full of MIAA play. With less than 10 non-conference games and no tournaments until play-offs, the Washburn baseball team has high expectations for this season.

“We have a number of players who have worked really hard. We have a lot of competition in about every spot, which is good. I think we have an opportunity for a lot of guys to have really nice years and they have worked really hard,” said Anson.

One of those players is senior second baseman Taylor Herrington. Herrington originally from Wichita, hit .345 last season and was second on the team in hitting. He also led the team and MIAA and tied for NCAA II with eight triples and scored 35 runs last season.

“I look forward to a good season, hopefully a winning season,” said Herrington.

The Bods have been practicing since they got back to campus. Even with the chilly temperatures this winter, the team has practiced outside more than last season.

“Well to this point compared to a year ago, we have had a lot more time outside,” said Anson. “We kinda get outside for a few days and then we get back in. So it’s kind of fluctuating. It’s baseball in the Midwest. It’s the way it is.”

Last year, the WU baseball team went 11-33 overall and 9-32 in the MIAA conference. The Bods ended with a two-win streak against Lindenwood University, 10-9 and Rockhurst University, 17-8. 

“Well, I think last year we had some growing pains and several injuries that really decimated our pitching staff. We had kind of a young team, so I think the fall we had this year compared to a year ago is about a 180,” said Anson. 

The Ichabods will play their first game at 2 p.m. Feb. 21 at Falley Field on campus. They will take on the Lindenwood Lions four times that weekend to start off the season. The Bods went 1-2 against the Lions last season.

“One thing they are going to do, they are going to play hard,” said Anson. “I think they have pretty much from day one since when we started this they have come out and worked hard. I think the chemistry is so much better than it was a year ago and we are going to carry on and continue to improve.”