SB Game Preview: WBU vs No. 8 Central Methodist (Mar. 12 | 12 & 2 PM)

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (3/11/25) – The Williams Baptist University softball team will face No. 9 Central Methodist in a doubleheader on Wednesday, Mar. 12 at the WBU Softball Field.

GAME INFORMATION

WILLIAMS EAGLES (11-4, 0-0 AMC) vs No. 8 CENTRAL METHODIST EAGLES (13-3, 0-0 HAAC)

GAME ONE - Wednesday, Mar. 12 - 12:00 p.m. CST - WBU Softball Field (Walnut Ridge, Ark.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/sball/2024-25/boxscores/20250312_cbe2.xml
Live video: wbueagles.com/watch 

GAME TWO - Wednesday, Mar. 12 - 2:00 p.m. CST - WBU Softball Field (Walnut Ridge, Ark.)
Live stats: https://wbueagles.com/sports/sball/2024-25/boxscores/20250312_tqjn.xml
Live video: wbueagles.com/watch 

MATCHUP FACTS

Last Game: Mar. 8, 2024 (CMU 10-1)
Current Streak: CMU W7
Last WBU Win: May 14, 2013 (7-4, NAIA Tournament Opening Round in Claremore, Okla.)

WBU QUICK FACTS

2025 Record: 11-4 (0-0 AMC)
Current Streak: W4
2024 Record: 37-17 (14-4 AMC)
2023-24 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Jessica Nutt (6th)
HC Record: 115-112 (40-34 AMC)
Assistant Coach: Ashlie Dahl (4th)

ABOUT CENTRAL METHODIST

2024-25 Record: 13-3 (0-0 HAAC)
Current Streak: W9
2023-24 Record: 52-7 (24-0 HAAC)
2023-24 Postseason: Won the Heart conference tournament, advanced to NAIA World Series after winning Fayette regional, fell to Southern Oregon in the first round in Columbus
Head Coach: Pat Reardon (33rd season)
Assistant Coach: Gene Reardon, Morgan Wilson, Kelena Oots

CENTRAL METHODIST'S LAST TIME OUT

• CMU is coming off a 4-0 performance at the Gulf Coast Invitational over the weekend

• The Eagles defeated Point 10-1 in five innings in the first game of the tournament

• Elizabeth Palumbo and Carly Robbins each drove in three runs in the win

• Veronica Dearth earned the win, going 4.1 innings with only one earned run

• The Eagles defeated Thomas 7-0 in the second game

• Kaysie Jolley led the way at the plate, going 1-for-4 with three RBI's

• Palumbo drove in two more runs on the day in the win

• CMU took down Nelson University-Arizona 7-1 on Saturday

• The Eagles posted six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the win

• The Eagles ended the weekend with a 5-2 win over No. 13 William Carey in nine innings

• A three-run double in the top of the ninth gave CMU the win in its final game of the weekend

CMU NOTABLES

• Maddie Holly leads the Eagles at the plate with a .511 batting average so far this season

• Elizabeth Palumbo follows behind at a .464 clip through 16 games

• Palumbo leads the squad with 23 RBI's and eighth doubles

• Kaysie Jolley has the team lead in home runs with three so far 

• Madison Roberts leads CMU on the basepaths with three stolen bases

• Haley Cotter leads the CMU pitching staff with a 2.65 ERA through six starts on a 5-1 record

• Veronica Dearth follows close behind at a 2.65 through four starts 

• Central Methodist currently holds a .358 AVG through 16 games (1st HAAC)

• The team leads the Heart in runs (141), hits (163), and RBI's (123) 

• CMU has drawn 64 walks through the first 16 games (1st HAAC)

• CMU currently holds a .329 batting average against in the circle (10th HAAC)

WBU'S LAST TIME OUT

• WBU went 4-1 over the weekend in the Branson Grand Slam Classic

• Williams' only loss came by a 1-0 decision against No. 9 Our Lady of the Lake

• Emberlin Caldwell tossed all seven innings with only one earned run

• WBU defeated Culver-Stockton 8-1 in game one on Friday

• Madyson Busselle went 2-for-4 with three RBI's, Kaylee Wolfe added on two more RBI's

• Morgan Garner tossed a complete game one-run shutout

• The Eagles took down Friends 12-4 in five innings

• Stallings, Watkins, Michael, Scott, and Gooch each had two RBI's

• Gooch went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI's

• Williams beat Hastings 11-3 on Saturday morning

• Kaylee Wolfe went 2-for-5 with four RBI's in the matchup

• WBU finished the tournament with a 5-4 win in eight innings over Tabor

• Caldwell tossed all eight innings with eight strikeouts and three earned runs

• Wolfe put WBU on top in the fifth before Tabor tied the game in the bottom of the seventh

• Natalia Watkins drove in Wolfe on a sac fly for the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth

• With the tying run on third and winning run on first, Emberlin Caldwell struck out the final three Blue Jay hitters to secure the 5-4 win

WBU NOTABLES

• Madyson Busselle leads WBU in AVG at a .417 clip so far this season (T-3rd AMC)

• Busselle also leads the team with 17 RBI's (2nd AMC)

• Kaylee Wolfe follows close behind with 12 RBI's on the year (5th AMC)

• Emberlin Caldwell leads the team in ERA at a 2.23 mark (4th AMC)

• Caldwell also leads the team in wins so far with five (T-1st AMC)

• Morgan Garner trails with four wins on the year (T-4th AMC)

• Emberlin Caldwell leads WBU with 41 strikeouts in the circle so far (3rd AMC)

• As a team, the Lady Eagles sport a .310 batting average so far this season (3rd AMC)

• Williams has tallied 79 RBI's as a team through the first 15 games (2nd AMC)

• WBU currently holds a team ERA of 2.45 (1st AMC), and a batting average against of .267 (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

• The Lady Eagles seek their first win over a ranked team since March 2, 2019 when the squad defeated No. 22 Southeastern 4-3 in the Gulf Coast Invitational

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

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

• Next, Williams will continue its homestand with a doubleheader against Lyon on Thursday, Mar. 13.  First pitch of game one against the Scots is set for 2 p.m. from the WBU Softball Field.

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