Softball
- Title:
- Head Softball Coach
- Email:
- bbaber@calbaptist.edu
- Phone:
- 343-4705
Bill Baber accepted the position of Associate Head Coach in June 2021 after eight years at the helm of CBU Softball as Mike Smith, the program's all-time wins leader, returned to lead the Lancers in the 2022 season. With Baber as an assistant to Smith, CBU compiled a 467-56 (.893) record, won eight straight GSAC titles, won the 2009 NAIA National Championship, and posted 60-win seasons four times. Baber also was the head coach at Biola for one season in 2003. From 2012-2021, Baber was the program's head coach and owned a 333-161-1 overall record as head coach for the Lancers. During his time as Head Coach, CBU made five-straight NCAA Division II postseason runs from 2014-18 and won three PacWest Championships. Baber has coached 54 all-conference players, 36 All-West Region honorees, and 10 All-Americans. Under Baber’s leadership, there have also been three conference Players of the Year, three conference Pitchers of the Year, one conference Newcomer of the Year, one conference Freshman of the Year, one national Pitcher of the Year, one NCAA Division II West Region Player of the Year, and one NCAA Division II West Region Freshman of the Year. In 2021, CBU returned to a full season of action and finished in a tie for fourth place in the WAC standings. Kerisa Viramontes became the second Lancer to earn First Team All-WAC honors, and the first to earn the title of Pitcher of the Year in the Division I era. Ashley McBay collected a second-team award, and Tiana Patrick and Katelyn Mangrello received honorable mention. In 2020, COVID-19 struck down the season before conference play began, but the Lancers had banner achievements before the abrupt cancellation of the year. The Lancers claimed the program’s first-ever win over a Power 5 conference school in Ole Miss, as well as the first series sweep of a Power 5 school when they took both games of a doubleheader versus Michigan State at Funk Stadium. There were no postseason awards but Giana Lopez and Katelyn Mangrello both claimed All-Tournament awards for their work at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge tournament. In 2019, Baber led the Lancers into the Division I era as CBU joined the Western Athletic Conference. CBU completed its first D-I conference season with a respectable 8-10 league record and claimed three All-WAC honors as Kellye Springstead was named to the conference’s first team, while Brittany Galvez and Caitlyn Lloyd were honored with second-team nods. Lloyd would later be included on the NFCA All-West Region Third Team. In 2018, Baber led CBU to its fifth-straight NCAA Division II West Region tournament, advancing all the way to the sub-regional finale. Hannah Thieroff had a breakout season, being named the PacWest and West Region Player of the Year, along with becoming the first All-American first team honoree in the NCAA era and earning Academic All-America honors. In 2017, after leading CBU to its third PacWest Championship and fourth postseason berth, Baber was named the PacWest Coach of the Year. That year, the Lancers set a new program-best win streak since joining the NCAA, going 26-straight games without surrendering a loss. When Baber took over the program in 2012 and did not skip a beat, leading CBU to a 49-6 record, a PacWest Championship, and an NCAA National Title. The Lancers went 26-4 in their first season in the NCAA Division II conference, winning their final 17 PacWest games to take the conference title after being picked to finish third in a preseason poll. On March 8, 2014, with an 8-6 defeat over Dixie State, Baber picked up his 100th career victory as a head coach. The century mark hit in just two-and-a-half seasons at the helm of CBU. He then surpassed the 200-mark on April 6, 2016, with a doubleheader sweep over Hawai’i Pacific. In 2018, Baber grabbed his 300th career victory with CBU's 7-3 win on the road at then-ranked No. 6 Dixie State on April 13. In recognition of his achievements, Baber was named the 2012 NCCAA Coach of the Year and earned his 400th career win on March 7, 2023, with a victory at home against Long Beach State. Baber graduated from USC in 1990 with a degree in education. He and his wife, Christy, reside in Orange, CA. Their daughter, Sydney, lives in Huntington Beach, CA, and their son, Chris, lives in Mill Valley, CA. Baber and his family attend Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos, CA.
| Year | School | Record | Conference |
| 2003 | Biola | 25-27 | 12-16 |
| 2012 | CBU | 49-6 | 26-4 |
| 2013 | CBU | 31-18 | 18-14 |
| 2014 | CBU | 46-13 | 27-5 |
| 2015 | CBU | 42-11 | 25-6 |
| 2016 | CBU | 42-13 | 24-8 |
| 2017 | CBU | 36-11 | 26-6 |
| 2018 | CBU | 35-12 | 25-7 |
| 2019 | CBU | 21-33 | 8-10 |
| 2020 | CBU | 10-14 | 0-0 |
| 2021 | CBU | 21-30-1 | 8-10 |
| Career | (11 years) | 358-178-1 | 199-86 |
| Career at CBU | (10 years) | 333-161-1 | 187-70 |
