UMSL senior Barrett Rose hit three home runs in the UMSL’s two wins over Upper Iowa on Friday. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer
NORMANDY, MO — The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team finished off its series against Upper Iowa this weekend by sweeping a doubleheader on Friday to take three of four games against the visiting Peacocks.
The victories lifted UMSL’s overall season record to 25-20 and its Great Lakes Valley Conference mark to 14-14. The Tritons are tied with McKendree for eighth place in the GLVC standings.
The team that finishes eighth will claim the final spot in the GLVC Championship Tournament, which will be played at Mtn. Dew Park in Marion, Ill., May 7-11.
In the doubleheader on Friday, UMSL hit eight home runs, which gave them 12 in the series. The Tritons also pounded out 33 hits and scored 37 runs in the two games on Friday.
Game 1 – UMSL 16, Upper Iowa 5
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
| UMSL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 2 | X | 16 | 13 | 1 |
WP: Bryce Nicolay – UMSL (4-2) LP: Isaiah Maes – UIU (4-4)
The Tritons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the opener on Noah Tomaras’s solo home run to left. UMSL added to its lead on an RBI double from Mitch Bonczkowski in the third.
The Tritons broke it open in the fourth scoring 10 runs on five hits. Barrett Rose and Cade Grevengoed hit back-to-back home runs to start the inning. Braedon Stoakes hit a two-run home run and Tomaras capped the inning hitting a grand slam to make it 12-0.
UMSL added two more in the fifth on Owen Polly’s single up the middle that scored Stoakes and Cooper Blythe.
Upper Iowa scored five runs on three hits in the sixth but it wouldn’t be enough as the Tritons added two more in the sixth on Dane Stevenson’s two-run home run.
UMSL had 13 hits in the opener and was led by Stoakes with three while Bonczkowski and Tomaras had two each. Bryce Nicolay went the first five innings giving up no runs on seven hits while striking out three to improve to 3-1.
Game 2 – UMSL 21, Upper Iowa 2 (7 inn.)
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| UMSL | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 6 | X | 21 | 20 | 3 |
WP: Zach Haygood – UMSL (3-1) LP: Steve Marhefke – UIU (2-4)
The nightcap was all Tritons as they raced out to a 7-0 lead after the first inning. Bonczkowski drove in the first two runs with a double to right center and Buescher followed with an RBI single to right. Bonczkowski scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0. Rose followed with a two-run home run to right and Stevenson scored on Blythe’s RBI single.
UMSL added two more in the second on an RBI double from Buescher and a sacrifice fly from Blythe. The Tritons broke it open with three more in the third.
The Peacocks got on the board on a two-run home run from Bryce Hall in the fourth.
Rose it a three-run home run in the fifth to make it 15-2 and UMSL put it away with a six-run sixth inning.
The 21 runs in game two were a season-high for the Tritons as were there 20 hits and 20 RBI.
Stoakes, Bonczkowski, Buescher and Stevenson had three hits apiece while Rose and Garrett Strenger had two hits each. Zach Haygood went the distance giving up two runs on four hits with six strikeouts to improve to 3-1 on the season.
The Tritons will be back in action on Tuesday, when they’ll take a break from GLVC play to take on crosstown rival and NCAA Division I foe, Lindenwood University. That game will be on the road in St. Charles.
First pitch at Lindenwood’s Lou Brock Sports Complex is set for 5 p.m., and it will be streamed live on ESPN+.
UMSL will play its final games of the regular season when it hosts Maryville, May 1-3, at the UMSL Baseball Field.
2025 UMSL TRITONS BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 31, 2025 (Friday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Central Oklahoma | Edmond, Okla. | W, 12-9 (1-0) |
| February 1, 2025 (Saturday) | 9:30 a.m. | Neutral | Oklahoma Baptist | Edmond, Okla. | W, 14-4 (2-0) |
| February 2, 2025 (Sunday) | 12:30 p.m. | Neutral | Northeastern State | Edmond, Okla. | W, 5-4 (3-0) |
| February 7, 2025 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Alabama – Huntsville | Huntsville, Ala | L, 5-6 (3-1) |
| February 7, 2025 (Friday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Alabama – Huntsville | Huntsville, Ala. | L, 4-10 (3-2) |
| February 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Alabama – Huntsville | Huntsville, Ala. | L, 5-9 (3-3) |
| February 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Alabama – Huntsville | Huntsville, Ala. | L, 4-7 (3-4) |
| February 18, 2025 (Tuesday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Missouri Western | St. Joseph, Mo. | Postponed to April 8 |
| February 23, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | McKendree | Edwardsville, Ill. | W, 11-6 10 inn. (4-4) |
| February 23, 2025 (Sunday) | 3 p.m. | Away | McKendree | Edwardsville, Ill. | W, 9-2 (5-4) |
| February 24, 2025 (Monday) | 11 a.m. | Neutral | Davenport | Edwardsville, Ill. | L, 4-10 (5-5) |
| February 24, 2025 (Monday) | 2 p.m. | Neutral | Davenport | Edwardsville, Ill. | W, 2-1 (6-5) |
| February 28, 2025 (Friday) | 12 p.m. | Neutral | Walsh | O’Fallon, Mo. / CarShield Field | W, 19-10 (7-5) |
| February 28, 2025 (Friday) | 3 p.m. | Neutral | Walsh | O’Fallon, Mo. / CarShield Field | W, 9-8 (8-5) |
| March 2, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Neutral | Walsh | O’Fallon, Mo. / CarShield Field | W, 6-5 (9-5) |
| March 2, 2025 (Sunday) | 3 p.m. | Neutral | Walsh | O’Fallon, Mo. / CarShield Field | W, 8-7 (10-5) |
| March 7, 2025 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. | L, 10-9 (10-6) |
| March 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. | W, 8-0 (11-6) |
| March 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. | W, 4-1 (12-6) |
| March 9, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. | L, 11-10 (12-7) |
| March 14, 2025 (Friday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Lincoln | Jefferson City, Mo. | W, 15-3 (13-7) |
| March 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Lincoln | Jefferson City, Mo. | W, 10-2, (14-7) |
| March 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Lincoln | Jefferson City, Mo. | W, 6-2 (15-7) |
| March 16, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Lincoln | Jefferson City, Mo. | W, 18-1 (16-7) |
| March 21, 2025 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Illinois-Springfield | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 10-7 (16-8) |
| March 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Illinois-Springfield | UMSL Baseball Field | W, 10-7 (17-8) |
| March 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Illinois-Springfield | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 8-2 (17-9) |
| March 23, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Illinois-Springfield | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 8-2 (17-10) |
| March 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 1 p.m. | Home | Missouri Western | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 6-2 (17-11) |
| March 28, 2025 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Lewis | Romeoville, Ill. | L, 10-4 (17-12) |
| March 29, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Lewis | Romeoville, Ill. | L, 10-2 (17-13) |
| March 29, 2025 (Saturday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Lewis | Romeoville, Ill. | L, 6-3 (17-14) |
| March 30, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Lewis | Romeoville, Ill. | L, 12-11 (17-15) |
| April 4, 2025 (Friday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Drury | Springfield, Mo. | L, 10-4 (17-16) |
| April 5, 2025 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Drury | Springfield, Mo. | W, 4-2 (18-16) |
| April 5, 2025 (Saturday) | 3:30 p.m. | Away | Drury | Springfield, Mo. | W, 9-8 (19-16) |
| April 6, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Drury | Springfield, Mo. | W, 7-4 (20-16) |
| April 8, 2025 (Tuesday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Missouri Western | St. Joseph, Mo. | W, 6-5 (21-16) |
| April 11, 2025 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Rockhurst | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 9-4 (21-17) |
| April 12, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Rockhurst | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 8-2 (21-18) |
| April 12, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Rockhurst | UMSL Baseball Field | W, 14-4 (22-18) |
| April 13, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Rockhurst | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 14-10 (22-19) |
| April 17, 2025 (Thursday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Upper Iowa | UMSL Baseball Field | L, 16-9 (22-20) |
| April 18, 2025 (Friday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Upper Iowa | UMSL Baseball Field | W, 7-5 (23-20) |
| April 18, 2025 (Friday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Upper Iowa | UMSL Baseball Field | W, 16-5 (24-20) |
| April 19, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Upper Iowa | UMSL Baseball Field | W, 21-2 (25-20) |
| April 22, 2025 (Tuesday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Lindenwood | St. Charles, Mo. / Lou Brock Sports Complex | |
| May 1, 2025 (Thursday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Maryville | UMSL Baseball Field | |
| May 2, 2025 (Friday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Maryville | UMSL Baseball Field | |
| May 2, 2025 (Friday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Maryville | UMSL Baseball Field | |
| May 3, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Maryville | UMSL Baseball Field | |
| May 7, 2025 (Wednesday) | Neutral | GLVC Tournament | Marion, Ill. / Mtn. Dew Park |