FAYETTE, Iowa - Peacock baseball (7-10) begins conference action against Lincoln (Mo.) (4-11) this weekend, starting with a doubleheader on Friday, March 13 at 1 p.m. The Peacocks and Blue Tigers will play a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at noon, to wrap up the series before the wet conditions arrive in Jefferson City, Missouri on Sunday.
LIVE OPTIONS
Fans unable to attend the games this weekend can stay connected with a pair of live options available at UIUPeacocks.com/Live, featuring access to live stats and a pay-per-view webcast through GLVCSN. Fans can also refer to the links attached to this story for all live options.
In addition to GLVCSN.com, viewers can catch the Peacocks on the GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile app, as well as the GLVCSN app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV.
LAST TIME OUT
Peacock baseball lost three games out of four this past weekend to Wisconsin-Parkside (11-5). UIU won game one, 11-0, but lost the ensuing three games, 12-5, 6-0 and 6-2.
Gabe Olson and Dylan Hesch combined for a seven-inning shutout in game one. Olson threw a team-high seven strikeouts while allowing three hits and four walks in five innings. Hesch tallied four strikeouts while allowing two hits and two walks in two innings pitched. Kyle Hrncir added six strikeouts on the mound in 5.2 innings pitched in game two.
JJ Vargas had a solid weekend at the plate, slashing .385/.467/.923. The second baseman totaled five hits with a double, two home runs and four RBIs. Jayce Klug batted .333 with four hits, a triple, two RBIs and three stolen bases.
Thane Meiners and Cael Luzum both smacked three hits. Meiners had a triple and two RBIs while Luzum had a double and an RBI. Meiners also walked four times.
STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Meiners leads the Peacocks in batting average at .304, while slugging .482 and having a .435 on-base percentage. He's totaled 17 hits with five doubles, a triple, a home run and 11 RBIs. He's also walked 13 times.
Brock Zimmer is tied with Meiners for the team-high in hits with 17 while slashing .279/.421/.492. He's smacked four home runs and a double. Zimmer has also walked eight times and been hit-by-pitch a team-high seven times.
Luzum is batting .278 with a team-high six doubles while adding a triple and a home run. He's walked 11 times. Vargas leads the team in slugging percentage at .541 with two doubles and five homers with 15 RBIs. He's tied for fourth in the conference in home runs. Gabe Bombardier leads the Peacocks in RBIs with 20 while adding five doubles and two homers.
Olson ranks second in the GLVC in ERA at 1.71 in 21 innings pitched with a 3-0 record. The senior has thrown a team-high 22 strikeouts and has a WHIP of 1.38. He's 15th in the GLVC in strikeouts.
Hesch has a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings pitched with 16 strikeouts. Hrncir has totaled a 4.66 ERA with 11 strikeouts. Jaxon Valdez has 10 strikeouts, while both Landon Boisen and Isaiah Maes each have nine strikeouts.
AROUND THE GLVC
Quincy (Ill.) has the most wins of any team in the conference with a 15-5 record after winning seven straight games. The Hawks started GLVC play this past weekend, sweeping Truman State (Mo.) (6-11, 0-4 GLVC).
Maryville (Mo.) (8-9, 4-0 GLVC) also started unbeaten in conference play after sweeping Lincoln. Rockhurst (Mo.) (14-3, 3-1 GLVC) and UIndy (9-10, 3-1 GLVC) are also near the top of the conference standings after winning their opening series.
Maryville's Steven Schneider earned GLVC player of the week after batting 8-for-12 with two doubles and two homers in the sweep against Lincoln. Quincy's Rocco Conrad earned pitcher of the week after tossing a seven-inning shutout against Truman State.
ABOUT THE BLUE TIGERS
Lincoln snapped an 11-game losing streak on Tuesday after defeating Missouri Valley, 20-9. The Blue Tigers were swept by both Maryville and Parkside in their two prior four-game series.
Senior Jayden Little leads the GLVC in batting average and slugging percentage at .451 and .882, respectively. He has 23 hits with five doubles, one triple, five home runs and 20 RBIs in 51 at-bats this season.
Andy Sreboski IV is also hitting the ball well during his senior season with a .444 batting average, including three doubles and a triple. Redshirt freshman Hunter Mitchell is batting .400 with five doubles, two homers and 14 RBIs. Blythe Blakey is batting .372, and Tim Fleming is batting .333, each with three home runs.
On the mound, sophomore Canon Feist has pitched a team-high 18 innings with a 9.00 ERA. He's totaled 13 strikeouts. Freshman Brody Kleffner has pitched 15 innings with a 9.00 ERA as well, while adding 11 strikeouts. Kleffner, Carter Otto, and Kooper Houvouras have picked up wins on the mound for the Blue Tigers this season.
Head coach Grant Reynolds is in his second season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers after restarting the baseball program in 2025. He has a 10-53 record entering this weekend.
