SB Weekend Preview: WBU at Mission & Central Baptist (Mar. 21-22)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (3/20/25) – The Williams Baptist University softball team will kick off American Midwest Conference play on the road against Mission and Central Baptist on Friday and Saturday.

GAME INFORMATION

WILLIAMS EAGLES (15-6, 0-0 AMC) vs MISSION PATRIOTS (0-16, 0-0 AMC)

GAME ONE - Friday, Mar. 21 - 2:00 p.m. CDT - Branson RecPlex (Branson, Mo.)
Live video:  https://web.gc.com/teams/LyHQEPf14g5B/schedule/81eca839-3af3-4992-a87c-cb0a6b98f631/info 

GAME TWO - Friday, Mar. 21 - 4 p.m. CDT - Branson RecPlex (Branson, Mo.)
Live video: https://web.gc.com/teams/LyHQEPf14g5B/schedule/81eca839-3af3-4992-a87c-cb0a6b98f631/info 

WILLIAMS EAGLES (15-6, 0-0 AMC) vs CENTRAL BAPTIST MUSTANGS (11-15, 0-0 AMC)

GAME ONE - Saturday, Mar. 22 - 12 p.m. CDT - City of Colleges Park (Conway, Ark.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/sball/2024-25/boxscores/20250322_c7hk.xml
Live video: https://www.youtube.com/@CBCAthletics 

GAME TWO - Saturday, Mar. 22 - 2 p.m. CDT - City of Colleges Park (Conway, Ark.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/sball/2024-25/boxscores/20250322_bus3.xml
Live video: https://www.youtube.com/@CBCAthletics 

MATCHUP FACTS VS MISSION

Last Game: April 27, 2024 (WBU 2-0)
Current Streak: WBU W2
Last MU Win: N/A

MATCHUP FACTS VS CENTRAL BAPTIST

Last Game: May 3, 2024 (WBU 5-3)
Current Streak: WBU W1
Last CBC Win: April 23, 2024 (5-3, Conway, Ark.)

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 15-6 (0-0 AMC)
Current Streak: W4
2024 Record: 37-17 (14-4 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Jessica Nutt (6th)
HC Record: 119-114 (40-34 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Ashlie Dahl (4th)

ABOUT MISSION

2024-25 Record: 0-16 (0-0 AMC)
Current Streak: L20
2023-24 Record: 15-23
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Dana Meinders (2nd season)

ABOUT CENTRAL BAPTIST

2024-25 Record: 11-15 (0-0 AMC)
Current Streak: W4
2023-24 Record: 32-22 (14-4 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Keith Hinson (4th season)
Assistant Coach: Randy Truelove

MISSION'S LAST TIME OUT

• Mission was swept by Missouri Valley in a doubleheader on Thursday, Mar. 13 by the final scores of 13-2 and 8-0

• Missouri Valley opened up the scoring with six runs in the second inning.  The Vikings added six more in the sixth to take the 13-2 win.

• The Vikings shut out the Patriots in game two for the 8-0 win.

• MVC scored three in the first and four in the third.  The Vikings smashed a walk-off homer in the fifth to secure the run-rule victory.

CBC'S LAST TIME OUT

• CBC swept a doubleheader against Hendrix on Tuesday, Mar. 11 by the final scores of 4-2 and 15-5

• The Mustangs tied the game in the fourth on a throwing error, then took a 3-2 lead on a single from Abi West.

• A pinch-hit RBI single from Kaylee Harp added an insurance run as Alex Jeter shut down the Warriors in the final innings

• CBC posted five runs in the opening frame to cruise to a 15-5 win in game two of the doubleheader

MISSION NOTABLES

• Cole Smith leads the Patriots with a .250 AVG at the plate

• Courtney Merrell follows behind with a .234 AVG through 47 at-bats

• Marrell leads Mission with seven RBI's on the year

• Kate Potter leads MU with a 6.36 ERA in seven appearances

• Potter leads the Patriots staff in strikeouts with 25

• Mission holds a .177 AVG as a team (12th AMC) 

• The Patriots have yet to hit a home run this season

• The CBU pitching staff holds a 7.64 ERA (10th AMC) and a .372 BAA (9th AMC)

• Mission was picked to finish 10th in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

CBC NOTABLES

• Madalyn Tubbs leads the Mustang offense with a .322 AVG through 87 at-bats

• Kinley Johnson follows behind with a .321 AVG through 78 at-bats

• Johnson leads AMC in RBI's with 22 this season

• Abi West sits in second in the league with 21 RBI's

• Kinley Johnson leads the AMC with seven home runs on the season

• West is tied for second place with four homers

• Alex Jeter leads CBC in the circle with a 3.43 ERA through 13 starts this season

• Jeter also leads CBC with 18 strikeouts

• Isabella Sawyers follows behind with 16 K's

• CBC holds a team batting average of .292 on the season (7th AMC)

• The Mustang pitching staff holds a 5.35 ERA (7th AMC) with a .360 BAA (.360)

• The Mustangs lead the AMC in runs (128), hits (202), doubles (39), home runs (13), and RBI's (111) through a league-high 26 games

• CBC gets on base at a .381 clip (2nd AMC)

• The Mustangs were picked to finish third in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

WBU'S LAST TIME OUT

• Williams is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Christian Brothers on Tuesday, Mar. 18 by the final scores of 4-1 and 5-1

• WBU took game one behind a complete game gem from Emberlin Caldwell

• Caldwell took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning.  The sophomore allowed only two hits and one earned run with six strikeouts for her seventh win of the season.

• Williams took game two behind a four-run fifth inning

• CBU tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth before the Eagles answered with a four-run frame.

• Natalia Watkins broke the tie with a two-run triple.  Madyson Busselle and Rylee Boshell also contributed to the rally to secure the sweep

WBU NOTABLES

• Madyson Busselle leads WBU in AVG at a .426 clip (4th AMC)

• Busselle also leads the team with 21 RBI's (T-2nd AMC)

• Ashlyn Michael leads WBU in home runs with three (5th AMC)

• Emberlin Caldwell leads the AMC in ERA with a 1.96 mark through 13 appearances

• Caldwell also leads the league with 60 strikeouts and is tied for the league-lead with seven wins

• Morgan Garner is close behind with six wins in the circle (4th AMC)

• As a team, the Lady Eagles sport a .300 batting average so far this season (6th AMC)

• Williams has tallied 105 RBI's as a unit (2nd AMC)

• WBU holds a team ERA of 2.42 (1st AMC), and a batting average against of .262 (3rd AMC)

• Williams returns the AMC Player of the Year and AMC Freshman of the Year in SS Madyson Busselle (Shoebottom) and RHP Emberlin Caldwell

• Five AMC All-Conference players return for WBU in Emberlin Caldwell, Madyson Busselle, Morgan Garner, Natalia Watkins, and Kaylee Wolfe

• Emberlin Caldwell is struck out her 200th career batter against Christian Brothers on Tuesday, Mar. 18

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

RECORD ROUNDUP

• Emberlin Caldwell is 28 strikeouts behind Laura Helmich (224 K's) for third place all-time at WBU 

• Natalia Watkins is one triple away from breaking the WBU record for triples in a season.  She is currently tied with Callie Brooks and Jusine Rial at six

• Emberlin Caldwell is one save away from moving into a tie for the fourth most in a single season at WBU

• Madyson Busselle is one away from her 100th career hit at WBU

• Morgan Garner surpassed 100 career strikeouts earlier this season

AMC PRESEASON POLL

1 Missouri Baptist (106) [7]
2 Williams Baptist (99) [2]
3 Central Baptist (89)
4 Columbia (86)
5 Cottey (85)
6 William Woods (70)
7 Stephens (54)
8 Crowley's Ridge (48)
9 UHSP (46)
10 Mission (41)
11 Hannibal-LaGrange (27)
12 Harris-Stowe (18)

SCHEDULE NOTES

• WBU will continue its 15 game road stand with a doubleheader against William Woods on Friday, Mar. 28.  First pitch against the Owls is set for 2 p.m. from Fulton, Mo.

• WBU's 2025 schedule features 22 home games at the WBU Softball Field.