Panthers host Southwest Baptist in four-game series starting Thursday, 5pm

BASEBALL PREVIEW
#26 Drury Panthers (24-9, 9-3) vs. Southwest Baptist Bearcats (7-26, 2-10)
US Baseball Park
 
Thur.- 5 pm
Fri.- 2 pm (DH)
Sat.- Noon
 
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– The Drury Panthers take on Southwest Baptist in a four-game series starting Thursday at US Baseball Park in Ozark. Game one starts at 5 pm on Thursday and is followed by a doubleheader on Friday at 2 pm, then the series concludes with a Saturday game at noon.
 
Drury is 24-9, 9-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and ranked 26^th this week by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Panthers have won three of four in each of their three GLVC series encounters and last weekend went 3-1 against Rockhurst. Drury is in first place in the Green Division with a one-game lead over Lindenwood.
 
Southwest Baptist enters the series 7-26 and 2-10 in the conference. The Bearcats lost three of four last weekend to William Jewell.
 
The Panthers lead the all-time series against SBU 11-8. Southwest Baptist won three of four against Drury last year in Bolivar. This is the second year the two teams have gone head-to-head in conference play.
 
Drury enters the weekend leading the GLVC with a .344 team batting average and their 335 runs also lead the league. The Panthers have three players tied for the team lead in runs batted in as Aaron Mann, DJ McNew, and Stephen Randazzo all have 36 RBIs in 33 games.
 
After games this week, Drury goes on the road for a four-game series at Lindenwood on April 22-24.
 
Diamond Notes
— DJ McNew went 7 for 15 (.467) in four games last weekend with 1 HR and 7 RBIs
— Tyler Bastunas was 6 for 9 (.667) in three games last weekend with 2 RBIs
— Jackson Dierenfeldt has a seven-game hitting streak (10 for 29) with 1 HR and 6 RBIs
— Kaden Helsel went 8 for 11 (.727) in four games last weekend with 4 RBIs…he is 13 for 23 (.565) in his last eight games
— Aaron Mann ranks second in the GLVC in runs (49), tied for 4^th in hits (47), tied for 5^th in RBIs (36)
— Cody Bahl is tied for the GLVC lead in wins (6), is 2^nd in innings pitched (52.2), and is tied for 5^th in strikeouts (55)
 
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Probable Starters for Drury
Fri.- LHP Cody Bahl (5-2, 4.61 ERA)
Sat.- RHP Mason Meeks (3-2, 6.70 ERA)
Sat.- RHP Cade Waits (4-1, 4.40 ERA)
Sun.- RHP Tyler Bastunas (1-0, 8.05 ERA)
 
Head Coaches
Drury- Scott Nasby (10th year, 281-199-1)
SBU- Chris Martin (10^th year)
 
Stat Leaders
DU- Aaron Mann (.409, 3 HR, 36 RBI), Stephen Randazzo (.358, 8 HR, 36 RBI, 16 doubles), DJ McNew (.365, 2 HR, 36 RBI); Cody Bahl (6-2, 4.61 ERA, 55 SO, 20 BB, 52.2 IP), Cade Waits (4-1, 4.40 ERA, 34 SO, 10 BB, 28.2 IP), Mason Majors (1-0, 3.68 ERA, 13 app, 20 SO, 15 BB, 14.2 IP)
 
SBU- Colby Sneed (.347, 3 HR, 9 RBI), Rhys Cratty (.313, 4 HR, 25 RBI), Evan Turnquist (.306, 2 HR, 9 RBI), Brennan Espy (0-4, 4.34 ERA)
 
Drury Summary
Record: 24-9 (9-3)
Current Streak: Won 2
All-time series vs Southwest Baptist: 11-8
Record in last five games: 3-2
Record at home: 21-5
Record on the road: 3-4
In 1-run games: 5-1
Extra Innings: 1-0
Shutouts: 1-1
Vs. RH Starter: 20-7
Vs. LH Starter: 4-2
Decided in last AB: 5-1
Leading after 6 inn.: 19-0
Trailing after 6 inn.: 3-9
Tied after 6 inn.: 2-0
Leading after 7 inn.: 12-0
Trailing after 7 inn.: 0-7
Tied after 7 inn.: 2-0
Leading after 8 inn.: 13-0
Trailing after 8 inn.: 0-6
Tied after 8 inn.: 1-1
Best record: 24-9 (9-3)
Worst record: 15-6 (0-1)
Longest win streak: 10 (Feb. 11-28)
Longest losing streak: 3 (March 9-13)
 
 
#allweDUiswin