The UNI baseball team will try to stay at the top of the Missouri Valley Conference race this weekend when the Panthers host Southern Illinois.The Panthers are 10-2 in the league race and next week will visit second place Wichita State.
The Shockers are 8-3. The Panthers have won all four of the league series so far this season and coach Rick Heller feels it’s not just a hot streak. Heller says they’re just playing good solid baseball with good starting pitching and good offense. Heller says there’s a chance they can get better as the year goes on.
Heller says there are many factors that have the Panthers in the race and one is the performance of closer Joe Gonzales. Gonzales stepped up after last year’s closer tore his arm up in summer ball, and Heller says he’s been the big difference for them this season. The series begins with a single game on Friday night.