2015 MWSU Baseball Preview | MWSU Baseball Roster | MWSU Baseball Schedule
 
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The 2015 Missouri Western Baseball season begins Friday, Jan. 30 when the Griffons travel to Russelville, Arkansas for a four-game series with No. 17 Arkansas Tech.
 
THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western is coming off a 32-20 season that saw the team finish fourth in the MIAA, posting a 24-14 conference record and reaching the MIAA Postseason Tournament championship series. Ten position players return from last year's team, six of them with 10 or more starts in 2014. Seven pitchers, including two starters return to the mound for the Griffons this season.
 
Ryan Degner is back after an impressive 2014 season. The Hillsboro, Oregon native was a second team All-MIAA pick along with being named first team Rawlings/ABCA All-Central Region and third team Rawlings/ABCA All-American. The senior outfielder led MWSU with a .383 batting average and started all 52 games for the Griffons. His 74 hits, 16 doubles, 49 RBI and 19 stolen bases were all team-highs. Degner was second on the team with 10 home runs.
 
Josh Lansangan returns on the mound after posting a 3-3 record with a 3.79 ERA in 2014. Grant Woods is back after going 6-2 for the Griffons and pitching a team-high, 63.2 innings in 2014.
 
ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS
Tech returns 18 players from a team that won 44 games in 2014 that included a 22-game winning streak on their way to the Great American Conference championship.
 
In the field, seniors Kris Ayers, Patrick Castleberry and John Lassiter all started at least 48 games, while senior Keenan Jumper appeared in 46 games, garnering 24 starts. On the mound, senior Aaron Johnson picked up 14 starts and junior Zach Skelton 10. Sophomore Trent Armstrong started five games and got the call out of the bullpen 13 times. Closer Randy Vallejo, a senior, is also back after making 28 relief appearances in 2014.
 
LAST YEAR
The two teams split a doubleheader last season after the first two games of the series were cancelled due to weather.

VERDUZCO EYES 300
Now in his 16th year as the Griffons head coach, Buzz Verduzco is just two MIAA wins away from 300 for his career. He enters the season 298-215 in MIAA play and 434-327 overall. Verduzco will have his first chance at number 300 during the Griffons home opening series against No. 6 Emporia State, Feb. 20-22.