The Drury University baseball team is ranked in another national poll as the Panthers debuted at number 21 in this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association NCAA-II top 25. Drury is also currently ranked tied for 25th in a D-II national poll produced by Collegiate Baseball.
The Panthers are 23-9 and 9-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Drury is in a first place tie in the GLVC West Division and has won 16 of their last 20 games.
North Georgia is ranked number one in the NCBWA poll with a record of 29-7. Mercyhurst (Pa.) is ranked second with a 22-2 mark and Azuza Pacific, with a record of 30-4, is ranked third.
Indianapolis is the only other GLVC team in the poll. The Greyhounds are 23-11 and ranked 11th.
The Panthers return to action on Friday when they open a four-game series against Quincy, the team they’re tied for first place with in the GLVC-West. The Hawks are 20-11 and 9-3 in the league.
Drury returns home on Saturday, April 22nd when they host Rockhurst on Pack the Park Day presented by CY-Sports and Big Whiskey’s. Prizes will be given away each inning as the Panthers play the first game of a doubleheader starting a 2 p.m. at US Baseball Park in Ozark. Tickets are $5, children ages 12 and under are admitted free and can be purchased at the stadium gate.
The 2017 Drury baseball season is sponsored by Aaron Sachs and Associates.
NCBWA poll – April 11, 2017
| RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS | |
| 1 | North Georgia (2) | 29-7 | 405 | 5 | |
| 2 | Mercyhurst (Pa.) (8) | 22-2 | 392 | 4 | |
| 3 | Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (6) | 30-4 | 391 | 9 | |
| 4 | Southern Arkansas (1) | 29-7 | 362 | 6 | |
| 5 | Delta State (Miss.) | 29-8 | 345 | 14 | |
| 6 | Southern New Hampshire | 21-6 | 329 | 7 | |
| 7 | Mount Olive (N.C.) | 33-7 | 301 | T10 | |
| 8 | Lubbock Christian (Texas) | 26-10 | 300 | 17 | |
| 9 | Tampa (Fla.) | 25-9 | 289 | 2 | |
| 10 | Chico State (Calif.) | 28-7 | 283 | 1 | |
| 11 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 23-10 | 255 | T10 | |
| 12 | Angelo State (Texas) | 26-8 | 230 | 8 | |
| 13 | Emporia State (Kan.) | 27-8 | 227 | 13 | |
| 14 | UC San Diego (Calif.) | 24-7 | 204 | 15 | |
| 15 | Catawba College (N.C.) | 27-11 | 161 | 16 | |
| 16 | West Texas A&M | 26-8 | 159 | 3 | |
| 17 | West Chester (Pa.) | 17-6 | 141 | 18 | |
| 18 | Nova Southeastern (Fla.) | 24-12 | 128 | 20 | |
| 19 | Minnesota State | 24-5 | 116 | 21 | |
| 20 | Felician (N.J.) | 20-7 | 110 | 19 | |
| 21 | Drury (Mo.) | 23-9 | 107 | NR | |
| 22 | USC Aiken | 27-10 | 58 | 22 | |
| 23 | Dixie State (Utah) | 29-9 | 55 | NR | |
| 24 | Colorado Mesa | 26-8 | 54 | RV | |
| 25 | Florida Southern | 26-8 | 38 | 12 |
Also receiving votes: St. Cloud State, Minn. (24-8) 27 points; St. Joseph’s, Ind. (21-11) 24 points; LeMoyne, N.Y. (20-8) 16 points; Seton Hill, Pa. (19-11) 11 points; Tusculum, Tenn. (23-11) 4 points; Union, Tenn. (26-12) 1 point; St. Thomas Aquinas, N.Y. (20-10) 1 point.
Dropped Out: No. 23, St. Joseph’s (Ind.); No. 24, St. Edward’s (Texas); No. 25, Millersville (Pa.).
