GAMES 7-10: vs WASHBURN ICHABODS
(GAMES 7-8) FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 • 1:00 PM
(GAMES 9-10) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 • 12:00 PM
DODSON FIELD • BOLIVAR, MO

SBU game notes

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The MIAA schedule gets underway this weekend, with yet another adjustment due to the late winter weather. Originally planned as a trip to Topeka, the SBU Bearcats will instead host the Washburn Ichabods in a four-game series starting with a doubleheader Friday. SBU is looking for their first win of the year after dropping three games to Arkansas Tech and nationally-ranked Emporia State two weeks ago.

Centerfielder Niko Saladis leads the Bearcat offense so far, with a .273 average. Saladis is also tied for the team lead in stolen bases (2) with catcher Dominic Bouvier.

Bouvier has been splitting time with Steven Davis at the catcher position, each with three starts. In limited time, Davis is hitting .444 (4-for-9) with an RBI, and has worked his way on base any way he can, collecting a walk and getting hit by two pitches so far this year (.583 OBP).

In fact, the Bearcats have taken advantage of the early-season struggles opposing pitchers have had to deal with. The 'Cats have been hit by 12 pitches so far, as opposed to only hitting seven batters so far. Senior third-baseman Justin Barnhart leads the team in bruises, getting hit three times. Along with five walks, Barnhart sports a .500 on base percentage on the season.

THE COACHES AND SERIES HISTORY
Bearcat head coach Sam Berg begins his 11th season in the SBU dugout. Berg just needs two wins for his 150th victory in a SBU uniform. During his time in Bolivar, Berg has seen his program produce 24 All-MIAA awards, and two NCAA All-Region winners.

Steve Anson is head coach of the Icabods for the 31st year, and with a record of 737-666, is the all-time winningest coach in the MIAA. Washburns holds a 21-10 advantage over the Bearcats since 2000 but SBU has won six of the last nine, including a sweep of the two game series between the two teams last season.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
This series is the season opener for the Ichabods, who have had the first five games on the scheduled cancelled due to bad weather. Washburn returns two of their top three hitters from 2009 in seniors Thomas Holiday and Wes Joy. Holiday hit .318 with 31 RBI, while Joy was right behind with an average of .315. Joy was also one of the team's leaders in home runs, with four. Dane Simoneau, a junior infielder, hit five long balls to tie for the team lead.

Washburn's lone returner from the 2009 starting rotation is Dustin Holthaus. Holthaus went 4-2 last season, with a 2.45 ERA over 66.2 innings pitched. He led the Icabod starters with a .261 average allowed with just 16 walks.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats continue their homestand as they host Missouri S&T on Tuesday, March 2, followed by a four game set against Missouri Western on Friday and Saturday, March 5-6. The Miners are 2-8 in the early season, earning wins against Arkansas-Monticello, and an 11-inning affair against Northwest Missouri. Missouri Western has seen six of their scheduled eight games to date cancelled, but did sweep Southern Indiana in a two game series last weekend. The Griffons face fellow MIAA unbeaten Fort Hays starting Friday.