BSB Series Preview: WBU at Columbia (Mar. 7-8)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (3/6/25) – The Williams Baptist University baseball team will face AMC foe Columbia in a four-game set in Columbia, Mo. on March 7-8.

SERIES INFORMATION

WILLIAMS EAGLES (12-4, 5-3 AMC) vs (RV) COLUMBIA COUGARS (9-3, 4-2 AMC)

GAME ONE - Friday, Mar. 7 - 10:00 a.m. CST - Battle High School (Columbia, Mo.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/boxscores/20250307_82fj.xml
Live video: https://columbiacougars.com/sports/2022/8/11/columbia-cougars-live-stream.aspx/?B=2077863 

GAME TWO - Friday, Mar. 7 - 12:00 p.m. CST - Battle High School (Columbia, Mo.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/boxscores/20250307_d51t.xml
Live video: https://columbiacougars.com/sports/2022/8/11/columbia-cougars-live-stream.aspx/?B=2077863 

GAME THREE - Saturday, Mar. 8 - 1:00 p.m. CST - Battle High School (Columbia, Mo.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/boxscores/20250308_ga7g.xml
Live video: https://columbiacougars.com/sports/2022/8/11/columbia-cougars-live-stream.aspx/?B=2077863 

GAME FOUR - Saturday, Mar. 8 - 3:00 p.m. CST - Battle High School (Columbia, Mo.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/bsb/2024-25/boxscores/20250308_owjr.xml
Live video: https://columbiacougars.com/sports/2022/8/11/columbia-cougars-live-stream.aspx/?B=2077863 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Series: Columbia swept WBU in Walnut Ridge on Mar. 22-23, 2024 .
Last Game: May 1, 2024 (WBU  2-0)
Current Streak: WBU W1

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 12-3 (5-3 AMC)
Current Streak: W1
2024 Record: 30-20 (9-12 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Stephen Abanathy (9th season)
HC Record: 167-222 (61-135 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Jared Dahl (4th season)

ABOUT COLUMBIA

2024-25 Record: 9-3 (4-2 AMC)
Current Streak: W1
2023-24 Record: 39-16 (19-2 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: Fell 9-8 to Tennessee Wesleyan in the Kingsport regional final in the NAIA Tournament Opening Round
Head Coach: Darren Munns (9th season)
Assistant Coaches: Craig McAndrews, Zach Bishop

COLUMBIA'S LAST TIME OUT

• The Cougars split with Central Baptist last weekend in Conway

• The Mustangs out-slugged Columbia in game one to claim a 13-12 walk-off win in game one

• Six different pitchers stepped on the bump for the Cougars in the opener (Dohogne, Linder, Hees, Nicholson, Feeler, Forck)

• CC responded to take a 9-6 win in game two behind six homers as a team

• CBC won game three 4-3 on another walk-off

• The Cougars won game four of the series 8-6 after a go-ahead two-run double from Bayden McGinnis in the top of the seventh

CC NOTABLES

• Brayden McGinnis leads the Cougars offense with a .452 average through 10 games (4th AMC)

• McGinnis also leads the way in RBI's for the Cougars at 15 (6th AMC)

• McGinnis and Zac Fruend are tied for the team league in home runs with four each

• Pierce Hartmann leads the Cougars on the mound with a 2.13 ERA through 12.2 innings so far (5th AMC)

• Owen Clark leads the team in punchouts with 16 strikeouts so far (T-14th AMC)

• As a team, CC holds a .341 AVG at the plate through 12 games (1st AMC)

• The Cougar pitching staff sports a 2.53 ERA so far this season (1st AMC)

• The Cougars are first in the AMC in home runs as a team with 18 longballs

• Columbia also leads the league in extra base hits with 52

• The Cougars were picked to finish second in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

• CC was receiving votes in the NAIA Baseball GoRout Coaches' Top 25 ranking released on March 5 

• Next, Columbia will travel to face Harris-Stowe for a doubleheader on Tuesday, Mar. 11

WBU'S LAST TIME OUT

• WBU took three of four from Crowley's Ridge in Paragould last weekend

• The Eagles won game one 20-6

• Jacob Watkins set a new WBU record with eight RBI's in game one

• WBU took game two 12-4 behind a 3-for-3 game with three RBI's from Nicholas Jones

• Gavin Mink also drove in three in the win

• Williams fell in game three of the series 10-7

• CRC struck for four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to take the lead 

• WBU bounced back with a 26-0 win in game four of the series

• 26 runs is a new WBU record for runs in a game

• Watkins drove in another five runs in a 4-for-5 performance

• Cody Jones drove in four runs on 2-for-3 with a double and a home run

WBU NOTABLES

• Jacob Watkins leads WBU with a .459  AVG to begin the season (3rd AMC)

• Watkins leads the AMC in RBI's with 21 so far

• Lawson Aaron follows behind with 18 RBI's (3rd AMC)

• Cody Jones is tied for the league-lead in home runs with four longballs

• Nash Koczka leads the Eagles with a 1.53 ERA (4th AMC)

• Koczka is tied with teammate Parker Jeffries for the league-lead in wins with four

• Koczka leads the AMC with 42 strikeouts this season

• Jeffries follows at second in the league with 38 punchouts

• Williams holds a .329 AVG through 16 games this season (2nd AMC)

• The WBU pitching staff currently holds a 4.34 ERA (4th AMC)

• Eagles pitchers hold a .221 BAA this season (3rd AMC)

• WBU leads the AMC in runs and hits this season with 139 and 163, respectively

• Williams leads the league in RBI's as a team with 120

• The Eagles lead the league in batters hit by pitches with 29 plunkings so far this season

• WBU is second in the league in stolen bases with 25 as a team

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

AMC STANDINGS
As of 3/6/25

1 Mission (8-0)
2 Missouri Baptist (6-0)
3 Central Baptist (6-2)
4 Columbia (5-2)
5 Williams Baptist (5-3)
T6 William Woods (3-5)
T6 UHSP (3-5)
8 Crowley's Ridge (1-5)
9 Harris-Stowe (1-6)
10 Hannibal-LaGrange (0-10)

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 return to Shell Field for a four-game set with Harris-Stowe on Mar. 14-15.  First pitch for game one against the Hornets on Friday, Mar. 14 is set for noon from Shell Field.

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