SB Weekend Preview: WBU vs Ozarks (Feb. 8 | 1 & 3 PM)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (2/7/25) – The Williams Baptist University softball team is set to kick off its 2025 campaign at home against University of the Ozarks on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the WBU Softball Field.

SERIES INFORMATION

WILLIAMS BAPTIST EAGLES (0-0, 0-0 AMC) vs OZARKS EAGLES (0-0, 0-0 SCAC)

GAME ONE - Saturday, Feb. 8 - 1:00 p.m. CST - WBU Softball Field (Walnut Ridge, Ark.)
Live stats - https://wbueagles.com/sports/sball/2024-25/boxscores/20250208_13bv.xml
Live video - wbueagles.com/watch 

GAME TWO - Saturday, Feb. 8 - 3:00 p.m. CST - WBU Softball Field (Walnut Ridge, Ark.)
Live stats - https://wbueagles.com/sports/sball/2024-25/boxscores/20250208_qejl.xml
Live video - wbueagles.com/watch 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Game: Apr. 9, 2002 (WBU 6-2)
Current Streak: WBU W1

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 0-0 (0-0 AMC)
Current Streak: None
2024 Record: 37-17 (14-4 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Jessica Nutt (6th)
HC Record: 104-108 (40-34 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Ashlie Dahl (4th)

ABOUT OZARKS

2024-25 Record: 0-0 (0-0 SCAC)
Current Streak: None
2023-24 Record: 7-33 (2-22 ASC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Denise Godwin (Prather) (7th)
Assistant Coach: Sierra Jasna, Abby Mork

OZARKS NOTABLES

• The Eagles went 7-33 last season

• Ozarks ended 2024 on an 11 game losing streak

• 2025 will be the program's first year in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

• ASC All-Conference Third Teamer Mack Lucio returns for Ozarks in 2025.  Lucio posted a .308 AVG at the plate and 4.49 ERA in the circle.

• Next, Ozarks will head back home to Clarksville to take on Lyon in a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 9.

• Ozarks was picked to finished 10th in the SCAC Preseason Poll

LAST TIME OUT

• The Lady Eagles went 37-17 in 2024 as the team finished second in the AMC standings and made a run to the AMC Tournament championship game

• 37 wins is the most in a season for WBU since a 40-win campaign in 2016 that saw WBU win the AMC Tournament and make a run to the NAIA Softball National Championship

• Williams finished tied for second place in the AMC standings with a 14-4 league record in 2024

• WBU fell to Cottey in the AMC Tournament championship game 3-2

WBU NOTABLES

• 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

• Newcomers McKenna Bittle and Ashlyn Michael look to make immediate impacts in the lineup.  Bittle posted a 2.45 ERA in 126 innings for UA-Rich Mountain, and Michael led Van Buren High School in almost every offensive category as a senior.

• The Lady Eagles thrived at the plate last season with a .323 batting average as a team (T-3rd AMC)

• Madyson Shoebottom led the AMC with a .432 AVG.  Shoebottom also ranked third in RBI's with 51, and tied for fifth in home runs with 10.  Shoebottom only struck out five times.

• Pitching powered WBU to a successful season, as the Lady Eagles posted a 2.54 ERA as a staff (2nd AMC)

• Emberlin Caldwell led WBU with a 2.19 ERA last season (3rd AMC).  She led the conference with 19 wins in the circle, and struck out 142 batters (2nd AMC).

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

AMC PRESEASON POLL

1 Missouri Baptist (106)
2 Williams Baptist (99)
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

• Up next, the Eagles will face Blue Mountain Christian in a four-game set on Feb. 14-15.  First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the WBU Softball Field

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