Wildcats Celebrate Senior Day, Split Final Home Series with Graceland

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - Playing for the final time at home this season, the Baker baseball team split its conference doubleheader with visiting Graceland this week with the four-game set being moved up to a Thursday-Friday series out at Sauder Field.

The Wildcats fell in the first game on both days (9-5, 7-6), but picked up bounce-back wins in the nightcaps on scores of 3-2 and 4-0 to close out a 16-8 record in Baldwin City this season.

Between games on Friday, Baker celebrated its Senior Day by recognizing 15 seniors for their dedication and contributions to the BU baseball program. Those seniors included Javier Aguirre, Chris Bollefer, Jaidon Bowers, Seth Brown, Ty Clark, John Green, Kolden Howerton, Brennan Johnson, Will Isaly, Erik Kelly, Jake Miller, Caden Pogue, Dylan Roush, Brayden Youkon and Eli Young.

GU 9, BU 5
The Wildcats led twice in game one, but couldn't overcome a trio of three-run innings from the Yellowjackets in the first setback for BU since winning six straight games..

Camden Karlin drove in the first runs of the series with a two-run double in the bottom of the second to spot the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

After GU took its first lead of the game, a two-run bomb from Howerton pushed the Wildcats back ahead, 4-3, in the fourth.

Graceland came back with three runs in the fifth before Karlin pulled BU back within one with an RBI in the sixth, but the Yellowjackets put things away with a three-run seventh.

BU 3, GU 2
Bowers' two-run single in the second, followed by another RBI hit from Karlin provided the only runs BU and game two starter Brady Friend would need in a one-run victory.

Friend logged five strong innings, allowing just five hits and one run for the third win of his sophomore campaign. Gage Callaghan came in for the last two innings, picking up his third save of the spring.

Jackson Truman drew a one-out walk to get things started in the second and moved over to third on a wild pitch and a single from Howerton. Both runners came home on Bowers' liner back up the middle and then Karlin knocked in Roush in what would end up being the game-winning run.

Graceland scored one in the fourth and one in the seventh, but Callaghan closed things out with a strikeout to seal the 3-2 win.

GU 7, BU 6
Young started off a stellar Senior Day showing by driving in four of the six runs for BU, but a two-run sixth from the Yellowjackets spoiled Friday's first game.

In his first at-bat, Young launched a solo blast to give the Wildcats a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first and followed with a two-run double in the third to pull BU back within two after the Yellowjackets scored five runs in the second.

After an RBI single from Johnson, Young notched his fourth RBI of the game with a groundout deep in the hole at second and Jon Jenkins tallied a go-ahead run to give BU a 6-5 lead in the fifth.

Graceland tied things up in the sixth with a double and then brought the winning run across on a double steal.

BU 4, GU 0
Tyler Vigna pitched a stellar complete game shutout in the final matchup of the series, allowing just two hits and striking out five to secure a 4-0 victory for BU.

The Wildcats struck quickly with a pair of runs in the first inning with Brown and Howerton each driving in runs in back-to-back at-bats.

In the second inning, Johnson took off for second base which triggered a throw down and allowed enough time for Aguirre to race home to make it a 3-0 lead. Bollefer tagged the final run of the game in the fifth with an RBI single.

Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Wildcats are 20-22 overall and 13-15 in conference play. Currently, they sit in sixth place in the Heart standings, which would clinch their sixth straight appearance in the conference tournament.

Baker will close out the 2025 regular season with a matchup at Missouri Valley on April 25-26 with both doubleheaders scheduled to start at 1 p.m. in Marshall, Mo.

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