BSB Series Preview: WBU vs Trinity Christian (Feb. 14 | 12 & 2 PM)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (2/13/25) – The Williams Baptist University baseball team will continue its homestand as it hosts Trinity Christian for a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 14 at Bruce Hunt Field.

SERIES INFORMATION

WILLIAMS BAPTIST EAGLES (6-0, 0-0 AMC) vs TRINITY CHRISTIAN TROLLS (0-0, 0-0 CCAC)

GAME ONE - Friday, Feb. 14 - 12:00 p.m. CST - Bruce Hunt Field (Paragould, Ark.)
Live stats - https://wbueagles.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/boxscores/20250214_2pyf.xml
Live video - wbueagles.com/watch 

GAME TWO - Friday, Feb. 14 - 2:00 p.m. CST - Bruce Hunt Field (Paragould, Ark.)
Live stats - https://wbueagles.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/boxscores/20250214_kk16.xml
Live video - wbueagles.com/watch 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Game: Feb. 24, 2024 (WBU  7-3)
Last Series: WBU took 3 of 4 against Trinity Christian in Walnut Ridge
Current Streak: WBU W2

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 6-0 (0-0 AMC)
Current Streak: W6
2024 Record: 30-20 (9-12 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Stephen Abanathy (9th)
HC Record: 161-218 (56-132 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Jared Dahl (4th)

ABOUT TRINITY CHRISTIAN

2024-25 Record: 0-0
Current Streak: None
2023-24 Record: 27-29 (17-15 CCAC)
2023-24 Postseason: Took down Kansas Christian 3-0 in the first round of the NCCAA World Series before losing to Oakland City 14-4 and Columbia International 11-0
Head Coach: Adam Enright (4th)
Assistant Coaches: Matt Vitulli, Brett Clark, Tom Flisk

TRINITY CHRISTIAN NOTABLES

• The Trolls went 27-29 a season ago

• TCC opens the 2025 season with WBU

• The Trolls return two 2024 CCAC All-Conference selections in 2025 in Christopher Nielsen, Ulysses Munoz

• Nielsen posted a 7-1 record on the mound while holding opposing batters to .280.  The Melbourne, Australia native led the Trolls with 66 strikeouts (3rd CCAC)

• Munoz tallied nine saves to lead the CCAC (8th nationally) 

• Next, Trinity Christian will travel to Huntingdon, Ind. to face Huntington for a four-game set on Feb. 21-22.

LAST TIME OUT

• WBU swept Philander Smith to extend its season-opening winning streak to six

• 6-0 is the best start in program history for WBU baseball

• The arm of Nash Koczka led the Eagles to a 9-1 victory in game one.  The Southaven, Miss. native threw six innings of two-hit ball with only one earned run and 10 strikeouts

• Down seven runs in the bottom of the seventh in game two, WBU came all the way back to take a walk-off 11-10 win

• With two outs in the inning, an error by the Panther right fielder allowed Connor Brinkley and Lawson Aaron to score the game-tying runs

• Kaeden Kennedy scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch

• The Eagles fended off a late Panther rally in game three as Parker Jeffries picked up his second win of the season

• Luke Bullins drove in the first run of the game in the bottom of the first, then Skylar Morrison added two more on a single

• Philander Smith five unanswered runs across the last three innings, but was unable to close the gap as Williams won 11-7

• Lawson Aaron led the Eagles on offense in the series as he went a combined 5-for-10 with two doubles and seven RBI's 

• Gavin Mink went 7-for-14 with a triple and four RBI's

WBU NOTABLES

• Williams sports a team batting average of .299 (4th AMC) so far this season

• The WBU pitching staff currently holds a 5.09 ERA (5th AMC)

• WBU returns seven AMC All-Conference players from 2024

• Lawson Aaron leads WBU with a .545 batting average through six games (3rd AMC)

• Aaron also leads the Eagles in RBI's with 14 (2nd AMC)

• Skylar Morrison follows closely behind with 10 RBI's (3rd AMC)

• Aaron leads WBU in home runs with two (T-3rd AMC)

• Gavin Mink leads the Eagles in stolen bases with three (T-1st AMC)

• Nash Koczka leads the Eagles with a 2.08 ERA through three appearances

• Parker Jeffries is close behind with a 2.57 ERA through three appearances

• Koczka and Jeffries are tied for the league-lead in wins with two each

• Jeffries leads the AMC in strikeouts with 18

• Koczka follows with 13 strikeouts so far (T-2nd AMC)

• WBU is 2-0 when trailing by 5+ in the seventh inning or later

• Williams was picked to finish fifth in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

AMC PRESEASON POLL

1 Missouri Baptist - 90 (7)
2 Columbia - 82 (1)
3 Central Baptist - 74
4 William Woods - 62
5 Williams Baptist - 58
6 Mission - 52
7 Hannibal-LaGrange - 39
8 UHSP - 38
9 Crowley's Ridge - 24
10 Harris-Stowe - 21

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Up next, Williams will open up American Midwest Conference play with a four-game set against William Woods on Feb. 21-22.  First pitch on Friday, Feb. 21 is set for noon from Shell Field.

• WBU's 2025 schedule features 27 home games at Shell Field.