ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — For Griffon Baseball's all-time winningest head coach, this week's Henderson State Invitational marks the beginning of the 2023 season and one final walk around the block for Buzz Verduzco.

THE AGE OF VERDUZCO
Missouri Western opens up the 23rd and last season with the retiring Verduzco in charge on Thursday at 2 p.m. against Ouachita Baptist at Rab Rogers Field in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The ride down south signals the 17th time a Verduzco-led team has made the trip to play in Arkansas. With his final opening day right around the corner, Verduzco is not sure what he will feel once that final first pitch is thrown.

"I don't think you really realize {how you will feel} right now currently, because the last game hasn't come, and hopefully the last postseason game hasn't come yet," Verduzco said. "When you think about that, I'm sure there's going be a lot of emotions that run around maybe through the park or maybe me. All of my assistant coaches through the year, I want to thank them too, because you don't do it alone." 

Since becoming just the second head coach in program history in 2000, Verduzco's career record stands at 614-514 overall and 428-337 in the MIAA. Last season's 13-32 season was just the second-lowest number of wins Griffon Baseball has produced in Verduzco's time, but it also featured a record-breaking moment with Alex Crouch setting the single-season home-run record with 16 balls sent over the wall. The 2022 season also saw Verduzco coach his son, Chaz, one last time before graduating, inching one step closer to cementing Verduzco's final chapter.

Now, the attention turns to the 2023 Griffons.

BACK IN THE BLACK & GOLD
Missouri Western returns 26 returners from last season, including All-MIAA Honorable Mention Jared Munk, who produced a team-high slash of .329 at the plate in 2022. The junior's 50 hits are also the most out of all returning Griffon batters, as are his four triples. One of those triples helped Munk secure a signature moment for the Griffs, hitting for the cycle on April 15, 2022, at Fort Hays State. 

Junior Brenden Andersen leads all returners from last season with 32 RBI, 10 homers and nine doubles, playing in 44 of 45 games and starting 40 of them. Senior Hunter Rumachik also brings power to the lineup, finishing tied for third with returning senior Will Courtney with five HRs. 

"I've kind of gone through this through the years, and experience does matter," Verduzco said. "Even if kids the previous year didn't get a lot of playing time but they got a chance to see what the level is like — that always seems to be a big factor. We do have a handful of guys, maybe as many as four starters coming back that does play a difference because they don't get wide-eyed when they start. They're ready to go. It's not like they haven't been through anything."

Backed up by a 4.21 earned run average last season, senior pitcher Jacob Weirich is back on the Griffon mound after leading MWSU with 52 strikeouts. Junior pitcher Robert Farrell is back as well, tallying a team-high two saves in 2022.

"We're excited about our starting pitching. That's number one," Verudzco said. "There's collectively some guys on the mound that we're going to pitch for the majority of the season and are going to be the difference makers for us. That's always going to be key."

The pitching staff has a new coach, with Damian Stambersky taking an assistant-coaching job this past summer. Stambersky's already storied career spanning two decades includes mentorships with 11 pitchers who went on to sign professional contracts, giving the team what Verduzco believes to be another veteran presence and psychological edge. 

"Coach Damian, he brings a lot of experience to us," Verduzco said. "I wanted to make sure (the pitching staff) got to another level for us from a year ago. It's been a 180-degree turnaround for us as far as mentality and what he's been able to bring for them. That's kind of trickled over to other positions as well. He's been a great addition, and the kids follow him and the kids understand him. He does a tremendous job for us and knows how to win."

SCOUTING THE HENDERSON STATE INVITE: FEB. 9-11
All three of the Griffons' opponents already have games under their belts so far this season, holding a combined record of 6-4. All three teams are either ranked or receiving votes in both national polls, and all three teams finished with winning records in 2022. Friday's and Saturday's games will be played at Clyde Berry Field.

Ouachita Baptist: Thursday - 2 p.m.
Ouachita Baptist (2-1) comes into the 2023 campaign receiving votes in Collegiate Baseball's DII Preseason Poll after a 33-24 season a year ago. Both of Ouachita's wins are against MIAA teams, defeating Washburn and Rogers State last week. Missouri Western and Verduzco are 4-5 all-time vs. the Tigers, last playing and losing to them, 9-3, on Feb. 10, 2022, in Arkadelphia.

Southern Arkansas: Friday - 2:30 p.m.
Friday's game will prove to an early test for MWSU, as the Griffons take on Southern Arkansas (3-1), a team ranked at No. 2 by both the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball. The Muleriders went 47-13 in 2022, making it all the way to the elimination round of the NCAA DII Championship Tournament. Southern Arkansas has been a tough out for MWSU in the past, holding a 10-0 record vs. Verduzco and the Griffons since the turn of the century. 

The Muleriders started the season 3-0 with wins over Northwest Missouri State, Northeastern State and Washburn before falling to Rogers State this past Monday.

Oklahoma Baptist: Saturday - 2:30 p.m.
Also receiving votes in Collegiate Baseball's DII Preseason Poll, Oklahoma Baptist is currently 1-2, defeating Pittsburg State, 21-4, in seven innings last week at the UCO Festival. However, OBU also lost to fellow MIAA members Emporia State and Central Oklahoma. The Griffons first started playing against Oklahoma Baptist in 2019, going 2-4 against the Bison since then. This will be the first time these two teams meet since 2020.

"We knew it was going to be tough," Verduzco said. "The fortunate thing is this program here has been in regionals, so we have that experience with Coach Stambersky and myself. Being able to try to pass along that intensity of what it takes for the players is what we're after right now. I think that's our next milestone, as it relates to just try to get these guys to understand there is a big-time level. The conference level is high, but regional play is even tougher, and we're going to be against that and be challenged pretty early."