BSB Series Preview: WBU vs No. 23 Missouri Baptist (Mar. 28-29)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (3/27/25) – The Williams Baptist University baseball team will take on No. 23 Missouri Baptist in an American Midwest Conference series on Friday, Mar. 28 and Saturday, Mar. 29 in St. Louis, Mo.

SERIES INFORMATION

WILLIAMS EAGLES (20-10, 11-9 AMC) vs No. 23 MISSOURI BAPTIST SPARTANS (20-9, 15-5 AMC)

GAME ONE - Friday, Mar. 28 - 12:00 p.m. CDT - Spartan Baseball Field (St. Louis, Mo.)
Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=560058
Live video: https://www.spartandigitalnetwork.com/ 

GAME TWO - Friday, Mar. 28 - 2:00 p.m. CDT - Spartan Baseball Field (St. Louis, Mo.)
Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=560059
Live video: https://www.spartandigitalnetwork.com/ 

GAME THREE - Saturday, Mar. 29 - 12:00 p.m. CDT - Spartan Baseball Field (St. Louis, Mo.)
Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=560060
Live video: https://www.spartandigitalnetwork.com/ 

GAME FOUR - Saturday, Mar. 29 - 2:00 p.m. CDT - Spartan Baseball Field (St. Louis, Mo.)
Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=560061
Live video: https://www.spartandigitalnetwork.com/ 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Series: Missouri Baptist swept WBU in three games in St. Louis a season ago on Apr. 12-13 (14-4, 9-8, 11-1)
Last Game: Apr. 30 (MBU 12-2, American Midwest Conference Tournament)
Current Streak: MBU W5
Last WBU Win: Apr. 14, 2023 (8-4, Walnut Ridge, Ark.)

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 20-10 (11-9 AMC)
Current Streak: W2
2024 Record: 30-20 (9-12 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Stephen Abanathy (9th season)
HC Record: 175-228 (67-141 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Jared Dahl (4th season)

ABOUT MISSOURI BAPTIST

2024-25 Record: 20-9 (15-5 AMC)
Current Streak: L1
2024 Record: 41-12-1 (19-2 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: Fell to Indiana Southeast 14-10 in the NAIA Opening Round Final
Head Coach: Eddie Uschold (26th season)
Assistant Coaches: Kenny Graser, Matt Huss, Adrien Clark

MBU'S LAST TIME OUT

• The Spartans fell 15-12 to (RV) MidAmerica Nazarene on Tuesday, Mar. 25

• After MNU scored three in the top of the first, MBU responded with a five-run frame in the bottom of the inning

• The Spartans led 12-8 after seven, but MNU stormed back with six runs in the eighth to secure the win

• James Jett went 3-for-5 with three RBI's, three runs scored, and two homers

• Lucas Lefebvre also drove in three runs in the contest 

• The Spartans offense hit eight extra base hits in the loss

MBU NOTABLES

• James Jett leads the Spartans with a .438 AVG this season

• Blayne Yarger leads the team with 41 RBI's

• Jett also leads the Spartans with 11 home runs on the season

• Carter Sabol leads the MBU pitching staff with an ERA of 1.98 (2nd AMC)

• Sabol is tied with Parker Jeffries for the league-lead in wins at seven

• Sabol is second to Nash Koczka for the league-lead in strikeouts in the AMC at 61

• The MBU pitching staff holds a team ERA of 3.86 (2nd AMC) and BAA of .199 (1st AMC)

• The Spartans hold a team batting average of .330 (2nd AMC)

• Missouri Baptist was ranked 23rd in the second NAIA GoRout Coaches Top 25 ranking

• The Spartans were picked to win the league in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

• Next, MBU will travel to Little Rock, Ark. to face Central Baptist in a four-game set on Apr. 4-5

WBU'S LAST TIME OUT

• Williams swept a midweek doubleheader with Maranatha Baptist by the final scores of 11-1 and 11-3

• Tyrell Burnett went 1-for-4 with three RBI's and two runs scored in game one, and Luke Bullins added on two RBI's

• Mari Thomas led the way in game two, going 1-for-3 with three RBI's.  Brett Cyprien also drove in two runs.

WBU NOTABLES

• Jacob Watkins leads WBU with a .419 AVG at the plate (5th AMC)

• Gavin Mink is hitting .371 this season (T-12th AMC)

• Watkins also leads WBU in RBI's with 34 (T-6th AMC)

• Lawson Aaron follows behind with 27 RBI's (9th AMC)

• Cody Jones and Nicholas Jones are tied for the team lead in home runs with four each (T-14th AMC)

• Nash Koczka leads the Eagles on the mound with a 3.32 ERA (6th AMC)

• Parker Jeffries is tied for the league-lead in wins on the mound this season with six

• Nash Koczka follows close behind with five wins on the season (T-3rd)

• Koczka leads the AMC in strikeouts so far with 62.  Jeffries sits tied for third with 53 punchouts.

• Williams holds a .321 AVG at the plate as a team (3rd AMC) and a .462 SLG% (3rd AMC)

• The WBU pitching staff currently holds a 5.02 ERA (4th AMC)

• Eagles pitchers hold a .258 batting average against this season (4th AMC)

• WBU is third in the AMC in hits with 283

• The Eagles lead the league in batters hit by pitches with 58 plunkings so far this season

• WBU is searching for its first win over a ranked team since taking down No. 24 Columbia in the AMC Tournament last season

• Nash Koczka was selected as the AMC Pitcher of the Week for week eight of 2025

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

RECORD ROUNDUP

• Parker Jeffries is one complete game away from moving into tie for third place with Brennan White and Matt Dillon (10 CG)

• Parker Jeffries has surpassed Brennan White's career mark of 222.0 innings pitch  for the in a career at Williams

• Nicholas Jones has surpassed Blake Coffman's mark (181) for the most hits in a career at WBU 

• Nicholas Jones has surpassed Kendall Fay's career total (37) for most doubles at WBU

• Skylar Morrison has surpassed Blake Coffman (89 RBI's) for the second most RBI's in a career at Williams 

• Jolby Jones has tied the WBU career record for saves with five

• The Eagles are one win away from tying the record for conference wins in a season (12 set in 2016)

AMC STANDINGS
As of 3/27/25

1 Columbia (16-4)
T2 Missouri Baptist (15-5)
T2 Central Baptist (15-5)
4 Mission (12-8)
T5 William Woods (11-9)
T5 Williams Baptist (11-9)
7 UHSP (8-12)
8 Crowley's Ridge (6-14)
T9 Harris-Stowe (3-17)
T9 Hannibal-LaGrange (3-17)

The top six teams in the AMC standings will participate in the AMC Tournament at the end of the season, hosted in O'Fallon, Mo.

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

• Next, Williams will return to Shell Field to face Blue Mountain Christian in a midweek contest on Tuesday, Apr. 1

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