The UMSL Tritons have won seven games in a row and will play a huge four-game series against Maryville this weekend. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
UMSL Tritons Baseball – Gameday Info
Games No. 26-29 — UMSL Tritons (16-9, 8-4) at Maryville Saints (17-7, 10-2)
Date/Time – Game 1 – March 28, 2024 – 2 pm
Date/Time – Game 2 – March 29, 2024 – 1 pm
Date/Time – Game 3 – March 29, 2024 – 4 pm
Date/Time – Game 4 – March 30, 2024 — 12 pm
Location – Weber Field — Chesterfield, MO
Broadcast – GLVC Sports Network
Live Stats – Sidearm Stats
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
CHESTERFIELD, MO — After beginning its 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule with four losses in its first five games, the University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team has been on a quite a tear lately.
The Tritons have won seven conference games in a row, including a spectacular four-game sweep over Truman State last weekend. UMSL won each game in dynamic fashion and outscored the Bulldogs 30-7 in the four games.
UMSL’s romp through Kirksville earned the team a move all the way up to fourth place in the GLVC standings, which is quite a feat for any team 1/3 of the way through the conference season considering that 10 of the league’s 14 teams boast .500 or better records heading into the final week of March.
But the Tritons (16-7, 8-4 GLVC) will face one of their toughest tests of the season this weekend, when they’ll head out to West County for a four-game set against crosstown rival, Maryville.
The Saints are 17-7 on the year, 10-2 in league play, ranked No. 16 in this week’s ABCA Top 25 national poll, and are coming off a fun weekend of their own, where they won three of four against Lewis. Two weekends ago, Maryville did the same to Quincy (taking three of four) and on the opening GLVC weekend, the Saints swept all four from Upper Iowa.
Maryville has been one of the hottest teams in the country through the month of March, where the Saints are is 12-3. UMSL will have to play some of its best baseball of the season to compete with a Maryville team that has its eyes on winning the GLVC championship this year.
Players to Watch: UMSL is the top hitting team in the GLVC this season.
The Tritons are batting a collective .329, with a team slugging percentage of .478. UMSL is also second in the GLVC in total runs scored (204) and leads the league in stolen bases (67).
Junior centerfielder Braedon Stoakes leads UMSL’s offense. He’s batting .398 this season, with a league-best 41 hits, including five home runs, 26 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases.
Fellow junior Barrett Rose is hitting .368 and has five homers and 25 RBIs. Junior utility man Andrew Buescher is hitting .310 and leads the Tritons with six homers and 26 RBIs.
Maryville is the best power hitting team in the conference and also ranks as one of the top slugging teams in the country. The Saints lead the GLVC with 38 home runs.
Grad student catcher Elias Stevens leads the team with nine homers, while sophomore shortstop Jack Zebig is second with eight. Senior second baseman Andy Bunton is second in the GLVC with a .458 batting average and also boasts a .535 on-base percentage.
Pitching staffs will also be prominent this weekend.
UMSL’s top starters have been junior RJ Elmore (2-3, 6.75 ERA), Garrett Brunstetter (3-2, 5.40 ERA), and Dustin Hagens (3-3, 12.73 ERA). Relievers Trent Anderson and Jacob Arndt have combined for two wins and five saves in 12 appearances this season.
Maryville’s primary starters Jacob Kroeger (3-0) and Ben Prywich (3-0) are both undefeated, while third starter Ben Gregory (2-3, 5.36 ERA) leads the Saints in batting average against (.224) and reliever Ryan Hoshaw leads the team in appearances (10) and wins (4-0) this year.
Up Next: After its series with the Saints, the Tritons will be back at the UMSL Baseball Field next weekend for a four-game set against William Jewell.
GLVC BASEBALL STANDINGS
| SCHOOL | CONF | CPCT. | OVERALL | PCT. | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UIndy | 12-0 | 1.000 | 16-7 | .696 | W14 |
| Maryville | 10-2 | .833 | 17-7 | .708 | W3 |
| Drury | 9-3 | .750 | 11-11 | .500 | W4 |
| UMSL | 8-4 | .667 | 16-9 | .640 | W7 |
| Quincy | 6-6 | .500 | 9-15 | .375 | W1 |
| UIS | 5-7 | .417 | 14-11 | .560 | L1 |
| Missouri S&T | 5-7 | .417 | 14-11 | .560 | W2 |
| William Jewell | 5-7 | .417 | 12-10 | .545 | L2 |
| Rockhurst | 5-7 | .417 | 13-11 | .542 | L1 |
| Southwest Baptist | 5-7 | .417 | 8-18 | .308 | L4 |
| Lewis | 4-8 | .333 | 10-13 | .435 | L3 |
| Truman State | 4-8 | .333 | 7-19 | .269 | L6 |
| McKendree | 3-9 | .250 | 9-16 | .360 | W1 |
| Upper Iowa | 3-9 | .250 | 6-17 | .261 | L6 |
UMSL TRITONS 2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Site | Opponent | Location | ||
| March 28, 2024 (Thursday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| March 30, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| April 5, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 7, 2024 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 12, 2024 (Friday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 14, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 16, 2024 (Tuesday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Harris-Stowe | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 19, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 21, 2024 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 26, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| April 28, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| May 2, 2024 (Thursday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 3, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 8, 2024 (Wednesday) | TBA | Neutral | GLVC Tournament | Marion, Ill. / Mtn. Dew Park |