Morrison Sets Career Home Run Mark; Abanathy Collects 200th Win Against Harris-Stowe

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (4/3/26) – Skylar Morrison became the new career leader in home runs at Williams Baptist University, and Stephen Abanathy became the first head coach in program history to reach 200 wins as the Eagles swept Harris-Stowe State in a doubleheader at Stars Park on Friday afternoon.

GAME ONE - Williams 4, Harris-Stowe 2

Skylar Morrison (2-4, HR, 2 RBI), Cade Parks (2-3, RBI), and Mason Andrews (2-4) each had two hits for the Eagles. WBU out-hit the Hornets 10-3.

HSSU got on the board first with a two-run single in the bottom of the first, but Morrison scored on a groundout to cut the lead in half in the top of the second.

Morrison came back up in the top of the third and tied the game at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly that plated Gavin Mink. Then, the Eagles took the lead on a sacrifice fly from Cade Parks that brought home Andrews in the fourth.  

In the top of the fifth, Skylar Morrison belted the 25th homer of his career. This tied the WBU career mark held by Nicholas Jones and added an insurance run, putting Williams ahead 4-2.

The Hornets threatened with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but Connor Brinkley (Sv, 3) locked down for the final out.

Gave Dirnberger (W, 4-3) scattered two hits with just one earned run across 5.0 innings of work.  Ben Bledsoe also tossed a scoreless 1.2 innings.

GAME TWO - Williams 17, Harris-Stowe 12

The Eagles outlasted the Hornets in a high-scoring affair in the second game to complete the doubleheader sweep.

Gavin Mink (5-6, 2 2B, 3 RBI) and Skylar Morrison (5-6, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI) each tied the WBU record for hits in a single game with five to lead the Eagles at the plate.

HSSU stormed out to a 3-0 lead after three innings before a Lawson Aaron sac fly got the Eagles on the board in the fourth.

Williams stormed back with five runs in the fifth and four more in the fourth, but HSSU held strong with four in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Morrison highlighted the rally in the top of the fifth with a two-run shot that put him in sole possession of the career home run record at WBU with 26 career longballs.

Despite the Eagles catching fire, Harris-Stowe took the lead back with a three-run bottom of the seventh inning that put them ahead 12-10.

The Eagles kept their foot on the gas on offense, though, as Mason Andrews singled down the right field line to drive in two runs and tie the game at 12-12 in the top of the eighth inning.

After a shut-down inning in the home half of the eighth, Williams took the lead with five runs in the top of the ninth behind RBI's from Cade Parks, Skylar Morrison, Mason Andrews, and Brody Bradley.

With a five-run cushion, Cooper Thomas (W, 1-0) shut down the Hornets in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.  

Thomas earned his first win of the season behind 1.2 innings of hitless ball.  Brady Barr also tossed a scoreless inning to aid the cause.

With the win, Stephen Abanathy became the first WBU baseball head coach to reach 200 wins at Williams in his career.  He became the winningest head coach in program history.

Williams moves its record to 22-15 overall and 9-5 in AMC play.  The Eagles return home on Tuesday, April 7, for a doubleheader against Arkansas Baptist.  The first pitch of Game 1 is set for noon at Shell Field.