The No. 24-ranked Illinois Springfield baseball team returns home this weekend for a key GLVC series, hosting Quincy during Alumni Weekend.
Just a few weeks into conference play, the GLVC standings are already tightly packed at the top. Illinois Springfield sits just behind unbeaten Maryville, with Quincy firmly in the mix as well—setting up an early-season matchup with major implications.

No. 24 Illinois Springfield (18-7, 7-1 GLVC)
Illinois Springfield enters the weekend with strong momentum after a 3-1 series win over regionally recognized Drury. Following a high-scoring loss in the opener, UIS responded with three straight wins, highlighted by a dominant 23-1 victory in Sunday's finale.

Offensively, UIS continues to be one of the most dangerous lineups in the conference. The Prairie Stars rank near the top of the GLVC in nearly every major category, including a .331 team batting average and 42 home runs—both among the conference leaders.

Corey Boyette leads the GLVC with a .466 batting average and .600 on-base percentage, while also pacing the conference in slugging at .886. Kaden Griffitts sits just behind him with an .857 slugging percentage and is coming off a massive weekend that earned him both GLVC Player of the Week and NCBWA Midwest Region Player of the Week honors. Griffitts totaled nine hits, including four home runs, drove in 14 runs, and posted a .600 batting average with a 1.467 slugging percentage across the series.

The depth of the UIS lineup is a major strength, with three players ranking among the GLVC top-10 in home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging.

On the mound, Ben Benoit and Trey Carter continue to anchor the rotation, ranking sixth and seventh in the GLVC in strikeouts with 40 and 38, respectively. Benoit leads the conference with five wins this season. Out of the bullpen, Isaac Graf has been exceptional, posting a 0.00 ERA across 12.2 innings with 22 strikeouts and two saves over seven appearances.

Quincy (19-9, 8-4 GLVC)
Quincy enters the weekend after splitting a four-game series with UMSL, dropping the middle two games before closing with a 16-5 win in the finale.

The Hawks boast one of the most potent offenses in the conference, leading the GLVC with a .346 team batting average while ranking near the top in runs, hits, and home runs. Their offensive production mirrors UIS, setting up a matchup between two of the league's most explosive lineups.

Isaiah Fudge has been a standout for Quincy, batting .459 with a conference-leading 50 hits. He is joined by a deep group of hitters, including Jace Figuereo (.429), Joe Huffman (.379), and Ben Dahlof (.375), all contributing to Quincy's offensive pressure.

On the mound, Quincy will likely rely on a rotation that includes Rocco Conrad (3.44 ERA, 4-1), Kade Ruffner (3.96 ERA), and Roman Harrison (5.67 ERA). The Hawks' pitching staff has been tested, ranking fourth in the GLVC with a 6.43 team ERA.

Series Outlook
This weekend's matchup features two of the top offensive teams in the GLVC, both capable of putting up runs in bunches. With early conference positioning at stake and a history of postseason meetings between the programs, the series carries added significance.

UIS will look to continue its strong start in conference play and secure another series win, while Quincy aims to climb further up the standings in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive GLVC race.

Follow Along
Fans can watch the series on GLVCSN, follow live stats online, or join us at the UIS Baseball Field for Alumni Weekend. Potbelly food truck will be at the field on Saturday.

Go Stars!