Eagles Roll Sabercats in Midweek Doubleheader

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (3/25/26) – The Williams Baptist University baseball team lit up the scoreboard in two lopsided wins over Maranatha Baptist on Wednesday at Shell Field.

With six home runs as a team in the doubleheader, the Eagles have tied the record for the second most home runs hit in a season as a team at 31 longballs.  The current record is 49 set in 2024.

GAME ONE - Williams 16, Maranatha Baptist 2

The Sabercats scored the game's first run on an RBI groundout in the top of the first, but the Eagles responded with a five-run bottom of the first to storm back in front.  Gavin Mink scored on a fielder's choice to tie it, then Connor Brinkley and Brenden Campbell came through with RBI hits to extend the lead.

Williams kept its foot on the gas with five runs in the second inning, punctuated by a two-run homer from Will Riley to make it 10-1.

The Eagles continued to add on with four runs on sacrifice flies, and an RBI single from DJ Coffey to secure the 16-2 win.

Brevin Carlisle (W, 2-1) earned the win with no earned runs allowed in 4.0 innings.  Cooper Thomas, Brody Bradley, and Brady Barr each tossed an inning in the win.

GAME TWO - Williams 17, Maranatha Baptist 2

After a scoreless first, the Sabercats scored the game's first run again on a wild pitch in the top of the second.

Bodey Ellis responded with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the second that tied the game.  Two more runs came home on an error to give the Eagles its first lead of the day.  Skylar Morrison added on with a solo homer in the third to put WBU ahead 4-1.

Morrison's homer was the 24th of his career, bringing him within one of the career home run record held by Nicholas Jones.

MBU got another run in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-2, and threatened to tie the game two runners on, but Brady Swims got the clutch strikeout to end the threat.

Williams went on to hang seven in the bottom of the fourth inning behind a three-run homer from Lawson Aaron and RBI hits from DJ Coffey, Brett Cyprien, Kaeden Kennedy, and Cade Parks to take an 11-2 lead.

Parker Cook highlighted the final two innings of the game with homers in the fifth and sixth after coming in as a defensive replacement in the fifth.  His two home run game ties the record for the most in a game at WBU.

The Eagles tacked on five more in the sixth to take a 17-2 lead that held through the end of the game.

Brady Swims (W, 1-0) earned the win on the mound after tossing 1.1 innings of shutout ball in relief.  Gaige Zaffarano went 3.2 without allowing an earned run with five strikeouts to start the game, and Gage Shepherd and Connor Cavette each tossed a scoreless inning to close the game.

The wins move Williams to 19-13 overall.  The Eagles return to action on Friday, March 27 for the first two of a three-game series against Columbia.  First pitch against the Cougars is set for noon from Shell Field.