Games #5-8
Lindenwood (0-4, 0-0 OVC)
at Mississippi Valley State (1-0, 0-0 SWAC)
Match Information:
Dates: Saturday, Feb. 22nd - Sunday, Feb. 23rd
Location: Itta Bena, Miss.
Venue: Magnolia Field
Start Times: 11:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. CT (Sat.) / 10:00 a.m. / 2:00 p.m. CT (Sun.)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: Link

On-Tap
Lindenwood baseball will head down to Itta Bena, Miss. this weekend for a four-game series against Mississippi Valley State. Due to weather, Lindenwood will play a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 22nd starting at 11:00 a.m. CT followed by a Sunday double-header at 10:00 a.m. CT.

The Lions are coming off an 0-4 weekend against Southeastern Louisiana including a 6-5 loss on Sunday in walk-off fashion. Lindenwood as a team is hitting .262 to start the season including a .333 batting average from Filip Sarota who had two home runs last weekend.

OVC Preseason Poll
The Ohio Valley Conference released their 2025 Preseason Baseball Poll as voted on by the OVC head baseball coaches and communications directors. Southeast Missouri State was picked as the preseason favorite heading into the year.

The Redhawks picked up 13 of 20 first-place votes and 157 points in being picked first, ahead of Little Rock, who earned five first-place votes and 144 points. Tennessee Tech was tabbed third (118) while Morehead State earned one first-place vote and finished fourth (107). Eastern Illinois was predicted fifth (92) while SIUE earned the final first-place vote and was tabbed sixth (89). The poll was rounded out by UT Martin (69), Southern Indiana (57), Lindenwood (45) and Western Illinois (22).

2025 Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Tyler Thompson (.429)
Hits: Kam Edwards / Filip Sarota (5)
RBI: Bryson Arnette (4)
ERA: Bennett Stice (0.00)
Strikeouts: Eli Brown (6)

Head Coach PJ Finigan 
PJ Finigan will begin his third season on the Lindenwood baseball staff in 2025, and his second as head coach. 

In his first year at the helm of the program, the Lions won 16 games, including nine inside the Ohio Valley Conference. Josh Newell was tabbed conference pitcher of the week once during the season, while Dawson Hokuf went on to earn second team All-OVC honors. Hokuf finished the 2024 season hitting .344, and led the team in home runs (6) and RBI's (33). Lindenwood was active on the base paths this season as the Lions led the OVC with 99 stolen bases. Five players finished the year with double digit steals.

Under the direction of Finigan, Joe Copeland and Easton Rakers earned all-conference honors. Copeland garnered second-team recognition as a utility player after hitting .333. Rakers landed on the all-newcomer team as he was the best arm out of the pen for Lindenwood, posting a 3.31 ERA in 20 appearances. Preston Salazar was tabbed OVC Pitcher of the Week one time during the year after tossing a complete game five-hitter against Tennessee Tech on April 6. 

Up Next
Lindenwood will return to the state of Missouri on Tuesday, Feb. 25th to take on Southeastern Conference opponent Missouri in Columbia at 3:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.