SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Drury baseball head coach Scott Nasby has announced the Panthers' 2026 schedule, which will include 25 home games at Mark Worley Field at Meador Park.
 
The 50-game schedule will feature a total of 13 contests against seven opponents who qualified for the 2025 NCAA Division II Tournament, including national runner-up Central Missouri and two more clubs – Indianapolis and Pittsburg State – that advanced to Super Regional play last season.
 
The Panthers will open their season with a three-game road series against UAH in Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 6-7. Drury returns to Mark Worley Field at Meador Park to kick off its home slate against Central Missouri (Feb. 10) in the first leg of a home-and-home series with the Mules. UCM, which went 48-14 and qualified for the NCAA D-II College World Series for the second straight year in 2025.
 
Next, Drury will square off against another 2025 postseason qualifier when the Panthers travel to Edmond, Okla., for a three-game set against Central Oklahoma (Feb. 20-22). The Panthers will host the four-team Drury Invitational, Feb. 27-March 1, which will include single contests against Indianapolis, Washburn and Missouri S&T.
 
Following a midweek road game against Missouri Southern (March 3) in Joplin, the Panthers return to Springfield for their longest home stand of the season when they begin a four-game non-conference set with Augustana (March 6-8). Drury's nine-game home stand will also include a midweek matchup with Grand Valley State (March 11), as well as the Panthers' conference-opening series with defending GLVC regular-season champion Lewis (March 13-15).
 
Drury will follow its lengthy home stand with a nine-game road swing, beginning with a non-conference tilt against Pittsburg State (March 17). The Panthers will embark on back-to-back conference road trips to close out the month of March, first traveling to Illinois Springfield (March 20-22) before making the trek to Jefferson City to take on Lincoln (March 27-29).

The Panthers will enjoy the friendly confines of Meador Park for three of their four GLVC series in the month of April, beginning with a matchup against Maryville (April 2-4). DU will also host Upper Iowa (April 17-19) and Rockhurst (April 24-26) for GLVC series, following a conference meeting with Truman State (April 10-12) for its lone road series in April, as well as a return trip to Warrensburg to complete its home-and-home series with Central Missouri (April 7).

Drury closes the regular season with a four-game series against Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, April 30-May 2.
 
The GLVC Baseball Championship will be held in Marion, Ill., at Mountain Dew Park for the fourth time, May 6-9. The top eight teams in the regular season will secure a spot in the double-elimination tournament.
 
Following NCAA Regional (May 14-16) and Super Regional (May 21-23) competition, the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship will conclude in Cary, N.C., for the 18th season, May 29-June 6.
 
Drury will return its top four hitters from last season, including All-America third baseman Jackson Crider, who led the GLVC in hitting (.434), on-base percentage (.548) and hit by pitches (29) en route to earning First-Team All-Midwest Region honors from the NCBWA. Three additional position players who hit above .300 in 2025 return, including Connor Bain (.321), Carter Wambach (.321) and Luke Matschiner (.310).

On the mound, senior right-hander Gage Hayes returns after going 7-1 with 70 strikeouts to lead the Panthers' mound corps last spring. LHP Kade Biellier also returns to anchor DU's bullpen after posting a 2.87 ERA over 14 relief outings last year. 
 
The Panthers finished the 2025 season with a 33-23 overall mark and 21-11 record in GLVC play, which was good for a fourth-place finish.