BELLEVILLE, Ill. – The W baseball team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2025 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) pre-season poll. Defending champion Spalding University was tabbed first in the prognostication.
 
MUW garnered 57 points in the poll, trailing runner-up Webster University and third-place Lyon College.
 
The Owls were 22-15 overall, finishing 11-7 in its first season in the SLIAC and qualifying third for the league's post-season tournament. The W's returning position players include the all-SLIAC trio of shortstop Tyler Estabrook (.357 BA, 4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 14 BB, 23 RBI), outfielder Matthew Windham (.338 BA, .470 SLG, 22-23 SB, 9 2B, 3 HR, 26 RBI), and outfielder Baron Brack (.329 BA, 12-15 SB, 16 BB, 8 2B, 3 HR, 23 RBI).
 
The pitching staff will include all-SLIAC and all-region utility player Landon Clark (4-1). On the mound, Clark led the Owls in innings pitched (57.1), ERA (3.30), strikeouts (67), and opponent batting average against (.219). He was among the SLIAC and nation's leaders at 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.  At the plate, Clark hit .310 in 100 at-bats with 24 RBI. He smacked eight doubles and four homers.
 
Other Owls' hurlers back in the fold are Robby Canten (2-3, 4.71 ERA) and reliever Jackson Gantt (5-3, 4.46 ERA, 3 saves).
 
The W opens the 2025 campaign on the road versus Millsaps College on February 11 (5 p.m.) in Jackson.