Knox College Prairie Fire

2024
Saw most of his action out of the bullpen as a junior, appearing in 17 games, 14 as a reliever … led the team in wins (4) and once again in strikeouts (43), plus had two of the Prairie Fire’s four saves … opened the year striking out eight batters in each of his first two outings … first was a seven-inning no-decision against Anderon University as he surrendered just two earned runs … then came five shutout stanzas for a win in a 17-0 shellacking of Principia … shifted to the bullpen with the start of conference play and threw three innings of no-hit, no-run ball in his second appearance against Beloit … earned his first save with three more innings against Monmouth to preserve a 4-3 triumph … struck out four in three scoreless stanzas to pick up a win in the 8-6 victory over Grinnell … got the win in the 6-5 game against UChicago, allowing one run in two innings of work … locked down the 6-3 victory over Illinois College with a scoreless ninth … tossed two shutout frames at Blodgett Field against Monmouth in a one-run defeat … doubled that workload the next day versus Ripon without yielding a run as Knox once again came up a run short … threw 3.2 innings in the season finale against Ripon, collecting the W in the 6-5 walk-off win.

2023
Led the team in ERA (6.14), starts (10), innings (51.1) and strikeouts (48) … got off to a tremendous start to the season, allowing just one earned run over his first five starts spanning 27.1 innings (0.33 ERA) … allowed just one hit over four frames in the season opener against Benedictine, fanning five … earned his first collegiate victory in his next start while striking out a career-high 11 batters over 5.1 innings in a 10-0 blanking of UHSP … did not get a decision versus SUNY Canton, allowing three runs, one earned, over six stanzas with nine strikeouts … allowed just two hits in five innings of work against Purchase State, picking up another victory in the 7-2 triumph … twirled a season-high seven innings of shutout ball against rival Monmouth, but had nothing to show for it in an eventual 4-0 loss … threw seven more stanzas in a loss to Cornell College.

2022
Saw extensive playing time as a freshman … started five of the seven games in which he pitched, throwing 15.2 innings … posted 10 strikeouts during the season, three coming in a three-inning stint in his collegiate debut against Central College … had three more punchouts in a fantastic two-inning relief outing against Cornell College in early April … longest outing was a six-inning start against Ripon … had four plate appearances as an outfielder.

HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Illinois Valley Central High School, where he was a three-year varsity starter, additionally earning three letters in both football and basketball.

PERSONAL
Full name is Brandon Mitchell Ward … son of Jason Ward has one brother … born on June 1, 2003 … minoring in exercise science … came to Knox because he really liked the atmosphere, and the college opened up opportunities for him academically and athletically that have allowed him to become the person he grew up trying to be … enjoys golf, bowling, coaching and yoga.