Game #32
Lindenwood (15-16, 5-3 OVC)
Vs. Columbia College (31-5, 24-4 AMC)
 
Game Information:
Date: Wednesday, April 9   
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Lou Brock Sports Complex
Start Time: 6:00 p.m.
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Live Stats: tinyurl.com/5n8rc6jj
 
On-Tap
The Lions return home for a matchup with Columbia College tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Lindenwood is coming off a rain shortened series at Little Rock with the two teams playing a doubleheader on Monday with each squad winning one.
In the win, Lindenwood compiled 18 hits and scored 14 runs. Filip Sarota and Kam Edwards had four hits apiece while three other Lions had at least two hits at the plate. Sarota finished the day with a homer and four RBI, while Edwards drove in three.
On the mound, Josh Newell tossed a quality start, firing six innings of one run ball while allowing just five hits and striking out three. For Newell, it was his fifth win of the season.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Lions and Cougars in the series history
 
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: Kam Edwards (.384)
Hits: Kam Edwards (48)
RBI:  Sam Grunberg, Filip Sarota (28)
ERA: Easton Rakers (3.00)
Strikeouts: Eli Brown (44)
 
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 remains at home for a three-game series with SIUE, beginning on Friday, April 11.