SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– Drury opens play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament on Thursday against Indianapolis at 4 p.m. at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.
 
The Panthers are 29-21 and went 20-8 in conference play to win the West Division title during the regular season. Drury is seeded first out of the GLVC-West.
 
Indianapolis finished fourth in the GLVC-East and is 28-21 with a 10-14 league record.
 
The winner advances to the winner's bracket semifinals on Friday at 4 p.m. and will play the winner of Thursday's 12:30 p.m. game between Bellarmine (34-15, 16-8) and Maryville (27-23, 19-9). The losers of Drury/UIndy and Bellarmine/Maryville meet in an elimination game on Friday at 9 a.m.
 
The GLVC tournament starts at 9 a.m. on Thursday as Southern Indiana (29-19, 15-9) takes on Quincy (35-15, 19-9). The 7:30 p.m. contest features fourth-ranked and East Division champion Illinois Springfield (45-5, 23-1) against Missouri S&T (15-13, 25-24).
 
Friday's schedule features elimination games at 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and winner's bracket semifinal games at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Four games are scheduled for Saturday and the championship of the tournament is on Sunday.
 
This year marks the second straight season that U.S. Baseball Park has served as the host for the GLVC tournament.
 
Drury recovered from a 0-6 start to begin the season to win the GLVC-West for the second straight year. The Panthers have gone 19-6 since March 30 and clinched the division last weekend splitting a four-game series at Quincy.
 
Austin Simms is expected to start today's game for the Panthers. The senior from Blue Springs, Missouri is 7-4 with a 2.96 earned run average. Simms ranks fifth among GLVC starting pitchers in ERA, and his 69 strikeouts rank eighth in the league.
 
Drury is led at the plate by freshman infielder Brant Schaffiltzel and his .357 average. The Springfield-Hillcrest product leads the GLVC with a .538 on-base percentage, and he has set a single-season team record in walks with 47.
 
Indianapolis is scheduled to start Jake Sprinkle today. He is 5-3 with a 4.58 ERA. The Greyhounds are led offensively by infielder Macy Holdsworth who brings in a .344 average with six home runs and 35 runs batted in. 1B/DH Dylan Jones has hit 11 homers and has a team-leading 53 RBI's.
 
Drury and UINDY are head-to-head for the first time since 2015 when the Panthers beat the Greyhounds 7-2 in the opening round of the GLVC tournament in Westfield, Indiana. That was the first of four wins for Drury as they won the conference title that season.
 
The Panthers lead the all-time series against Indianapolis 10-3.
 
Tickets to the GLVC tournament are $10 per day or $35 for a tournament pass that provides admission to all four days of the event.
 
Click here for more information on the tournament and full coverage of the 2018 GLVC baseball championship.
 
DRURY QUICK FACTS
Live coverage
Video- GLVCSN
Live Stats  
 
Probable Starter for Thursday
Sat.- RHP Austin Simms (7-4, 2.96 ERA)
 
Head Coach
Scott Nasby (6^th year, 198-129-1)
 
Drury Summary
Record: 29-21 (20-8)
Streak: Lost 1
All-Time Record in GLVC tourn: 20-7
            GLVC Champs: 3 (2015, 2014, 2007)
All-time series vs UIndy: 10-3
Record in last four games: 2-2
Record at home: 17-11
Record on the road: 12-10
Vs RH starters: 23-11
Vs LH starters: 6-10
In 1-run games: 9-5
Extra Innings: 2-1
Shutouts: 4-1
Leading after 6 inn: 24-3
Trailing after 6 inn: 1-16
Tied after 6 inn: 4-2
Leading after 8 inn: 15-0
Trailing after 8 inn: 0-14
Tied after 8 inn: 1-1
Best record: 29-20 (15-3)
Worst record: 0-6 (2-2)
Longest win streak: 10
Longest losing streak: 6
 
#allweDUiswin