BSB Series Preview: WBU vs Hannibal-LaGrange (Mar. 21-22)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (3/20/25) – The Williams Baptist University baseball team will continue American Midwest Conference play against Hannibal-LaGrange on Friday and Saturday in Hannibal, Mo.

SERIES INFORMATION

WILLIAMS EAGLES (15-9, 8-8 AMC) vs HANNIBAL-LAGRANGE TROJANS (3-15, 2-14 AMC)

GAME ONE - Friday, Mar. 21 - 12:00 p.m. CDT - Hannibal High School (Hannibal, Mo.)
Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN_Xo_6PUhk 

GAME TWO -  Friday, Mar. 21 - 2:00 p.m. CDT - Hannibal High School (Hannibal, Mo.)
Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKKv4hPbThM&pp=0gcJCU8JAYcqIYzv 

GAME THREE -  Saturday, Mar. 22 - 12:00 p.m. CDT - Location TBD
Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiJFqZ2gQpI 

GAME FOUR - Saturday, Mar. 22 - 2:00 p.m. CDT - Location TBD
Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pS4xdZjw7Q 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Series: WBU took two of three against HLGU in Walnut Ridge on April 5-6, 2024
Last Game: Apr. 6, 2024 (WBU 11-1)
Current Streak: WBU W2

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 15-9 (8-8 AMC)
Current Streak: L1
2024 Record: 30-20 (9-12 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Stephen Abanathy (9th season)
HC Record: 170-227 (64-140 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Jared Dahl (4th season)

ABOUT HANNIBAL-LAGRANGE

2024-25 Record: 3-15 (2-14 AMC)
Current Streak: L5
2023-24 Record: 12-27 (7-14 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: David Babcock
Assistant Coaches: Paul Babcock

HLGU'S LAST TIME OUT

• The Trojans were swept by William Woods in four games last weekend

• HLGU lost game one 13-6 after the Owls posted four runs in the second and fifth

• Hannibal lost game two 18-4

• WWU took game three 5-1.  The lone Trojan RBI came from Ethan Eskew

• The Owls won game five 11-2 after scoring five in the first inning

HLGU NOTABLES

• Isaac Phillips leads the Trojans offensive charge with a .300 AVG (35th AMC)

• Phillips also leads HLGU in RBI's with 11 (T-38th)

• Caleb Tyre leads the Trojans with nine strikeouts on the mound (T-55th AMC)

• The Trojans hold a team batting average of .219 (9th AMC)

• The HLGU pitching staff holds a 10.83 ERA (9th AMC)

• The Trojans have the second most sacrifice hits in the AMC with 12

• The Trojans are 2-2 at home this season

• The Trojans were picked to finish seventh in the AMC Preseason Coaches Poll

• Next, HLGU will travel to St. Louis, Mo. to face Harris-Stowe State on Mar. 28-29

WBU'S LAST TIME OUT

• WBU took three of four from Harris-Stowe last weekend to 8-8 in AMC play

• WBU won game one 8-0 behind a complete game shutout from Parker Jeffries

• The Eagles took game two 3-2 courtesy of a bases loaded walk-off single from Jacob Watkins in the bottom of the seventh

• Williams won game three behind a strong bullpen performance from Cooper Thomas and Jolby Jones to shut the Hornets down in the late innings

• HSSU avoided the sweep by taking a 6-5 win in game four thanks in large part to a late three-run double from Jeremy Kelly

WBU NOTABLES

• Jacob Watkins leads WBU with a .416 AVG at the plate (5th AMC)

• Lawson Aaron is hitting .381 this season (9th AMC)

• Watkins also leads WBU in RBI's with 26 (7th AMC)

• Aaron follows behind with 25 RBI's (8th AMC)

• Cody Jones and Nicholas Jones are tied for the team lead in home runs with four each (T-12th AMC)

• Nash Koczka leads the Eagles on the mound with a 3.38 ERA (9th AMC)

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

• Nash Koczka follows close behind with four wins on the season (T-4th)

• Koczka is tied for the league-lead in strikeouts with 52 so far on the season, while Jeffries trails at third in the league with 51

• Williams holds a .311 AVG at the plate as a team (3rd AMC) and a .446 SLG% (3rd AMC)

• The WBU pitching staff currently holds a 5.36 ERA (6th AMC)

• Eagles pitchers hold a .253 batting average against this season (4th AMC)

• WBU is fourth in the AMC in runs (168) and hits (218) so far this season

• The Eagles lead the league in batters hit by pitches with 43 plunkings so far this season

• WBU is 4-5 in road games this season

• 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 moved into a tie with Blake Coffman for the most hits in a career at WBU (181)

• Nicholas Jones has moved into a tie with Kendall Fay for the most doubles in a career at WBU (37)

• Skylar Morrison has moved into a tie with Blake Coffman for the second most RBI's in a career at WBU (89)

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

AMC STANDINGS
As of 3/20/25

T1 Columbia (12-4)
T1 Missouri Baptist (12-4)
T1 Central Baptist (12-4)
T4 Mission (11-5)
T4 William Woods (11-5)
6 Williams Baptist (8-8)
7 UHSP (6-10)
8 Crowley's Ridge (4-12)
T9 Harris-Stowe (2-14)
T9 Hannibal-LaGrange (2-14)

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, WBU will face Maranatha Baptist at home on Wednesday, Mar. 26 in a doubleheader.  First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m. from Shell Field.

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