Panthers face Quincy in four-game series starting Thursday

BASEBALL PREVIEW
Drury Panthers (11-11, 9-3) vs. Quincy Hawks (9-15, 6-6)
March 28-30, 2024
Mark Worley Field at Meador Park
 
Tickets
$5 (children under 12, FREE)
LIVE COVERAGE
Live Video
Live Stats
 
The Drury Panthers host Quincy in a four-game series starting on Thursday at the newly renovated Mark Worley Field at Meador Park. Thursday’s game is slated for a 3 pm start, then Friday moves to a doubleheader with game one scheduled for noon. The series concludes on Saturday, with the first pitch set for 12 pm.
 
The series marks the first meeting since the two teams played for the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship last spring. The Hawks won the GLVC championship and, advanced to last year’s NCAA-II Super Regional and ended the year with a 47-11 record.
 
The Panthers are 11-11 and 9-3 in the GLVC after completing a four-game series sweep of Upper Iowa last weekend. Quincy is 9-15 and 6-6 in the conference and will come to Springfield having split a four-game series against Rockhurst last week.
 
Drury is expected to start left-hander Cody Bahl in Thursday’s game. The junior from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is 4-1 with a 2.22 earned run average and has struck out 41 while allowing just eight walks in 44.2 innings. Bahl owns the best ERA in the league, and he is tied for the conference lead in strikeouts.
 
Panthers first baseman Luke Burk is tied for the conference lead in home runs with nine. The Galena, Missouri, native is hitting .320 and has a team-leading 30 runs batted in.
 
Drury lost to the Hawks four times during the regular season and 13-6 in last year’s conference tournament championship game. Quincy leads the all-time series 35-30 against the Panthers.
 
Friday’s doubleheader is Kid’s Day at Mark Worley Field at Meador Park with several classes from a Springfield elementary school in attendance for the first game of the twin-bill.
 
The weekend series concludes a stretch of 13-straight home games for Drury. After Saturday’s game, the Panthers return to action on Tuesday with a 5 pm game at Pittsburg State.

Probable Starters
DRURY
LHP Cody Bahl (4-1, 2.22 ERA)
RHP Wes Laaker (2-3, 7.76 ERA)
RHP Cade Waits (4-0, 2.70 ERA)
RHP Jack Jones (1-0, 6.89 ERA)
 
QUINCY
LHP Griffin Kirn (3-1, 2.70 ERA)
RHP Kobe Essien (1-2, 6.00 ERA)
LHP Tom Conzemius (0-1, 5.95 ERA)
RHP Seth West (1-0, 3.48 ERA)
 
Diamond Notes
— Cody Bahl leads the GLVC with a 2.22 ERA
— Cade Waits ranks fourth in the GLVC with a 2.70 ERA
— Luke Burk has reached base safely in 22 straight games this season and is tied for first in the GLVC in home runs with 9
 
Head Coach
Drury- Scott Nasby (12th year, 346-240-1)
Quincy- Matt Schissel (3^rd Year, 93-51)
 
Stat Leaders
DU- Max Elmer (.359 AVG, .468 OBP, .462 SLG, 13 RBI, 12 BB, 5 SB), Tyler Bastunas (.351 AVG, .461 OBP, .432 SLG, 12 RBI), Wes Collins (.338 AVG, .414 OBP, .595 SLG, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 5 SB ), Luke Burk (.333 AVG, .467 OBP, .792 SLG, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 14 BB), Cody Bahl (4-1, 2.22 ERA, 41 SO), Cade Waits (4-0, 2.70 ERA, 20 SO)

Quincy- Austin Simpson (.464 AVG, .563 OBP, .869 SLG, 8 HR, 24 RBI), David Broughton (.372 AVG, .486 OBP, .535 SLG, 3 HR, 10 RBI), David Dupont (.344 AVG, .433 OBP, .633 SLG, 6 HR, 29 RBI), Brock Boynton (.304 AVG, .379 OBP, .457 SLG, 4 HR, 14 RBI), Griffin Kirn (3-1, 2.70 ERA, 41 SO)
 
Drury Summary
Record: 11-11 (9-3, GLVC)
Current Streak: Won 4 (GLVC, Won 4)
Record in last five games: 4-1
Record at home: 7-9 (6-2)
Record on the road: 4-2 (3-1)
Record on neutral field: 0-0
All-Time Series vs Quincy: 30-35
Last year’s series vs Quincy: 0-5
In 1-run games: 2-2 (1-1)
Extra Innings: 1-0
Shutouts: 1-1 (1-0)
vs. RH Starter: 7-8 (5-1)
vs. LH Starter: 4-3 (4-2)
vs. Ranked teams: 1-3
9-inning games: 4-9 (3-2)
7-inning games: 7-2 (6-1)
Decided in last AB: 2-2 (1-1)
Leading after 6 inn.: 10-3
Trailing after 6 inn.: 0-7
Tied after 6 inn.: 0-1
Leading after 7 inn.: 5-2
Trailing after 7 inn.: 0-5
Tied after 7 inn.: 1-2
Leading after 8 inn.: 4-0
Trailing after 8 inn.: 0-6
Tied after 8 inn.: 0-3
Best record: 11-11 (9-3)
Worst record: 2-7 (5-3)
Longest win streak: 4, March 22-Current (conference, same)
Longest losing streak: 4, March 2-5 (1)
 
 
#allweDUiswin