Games #40-41
Lindenwood (18-21, 7-7 OVC)
Vs. UMSL Tritons (25-20, 14-14 GLVC)
Rockhurst Hawks (20-19, 10-14 GLVC)
 
Game Information
Dates: Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Lou Brock Sports Complex
Start Time: 5:00 p.m. both days
All-Time Series: UMSL - Lindenwood leads 6-4, Rockhurst – Lindenwood leads 3-1
Last Meeting: April 16, 2022
Live Video: ESPN+ (Tuesday)
Live Stats: tinyurl.com/5n8rc6jj
 
On-Tap
The Lions return home for a pair of midweek games against former GLVC foes UMSL and Rockhurst. Lindenwood is coming off a weekend where it dropped two out of three to SEMO who sits atop the OVC at 10-5.

In the lone win of the series on Friday, the Black and Gold put up 10 runs, including hitting four home runs. Sam Grunberg, Mitch Cummins, Jake Radosevich, and Charlie Isom-McCall each left the yard and Lindenwood now has 50 long balls on the year, ranking second in the conference. Josh Newell picked up his OVC leading seventh win of the season on the mound.

Lindenwood has played solid baseball at Lou Brock this season, compiling a record of 10-6. The Lions hold the all-time series advantage over both the Tritons and the Hawks.
 
OVC Preseason Poll
The Ohio Valley Conference released their 2025 Preseason Baseball Poll as voted on by the OVC head baseball coaches and communications directors. Southeast Missouri State was picked as the preseason favorite heading into the year.
 
The Redhawks picked up 13 of 20 first-place votes and 157 points in being picked first, ahead of Little Rock, who earned five first-place votes and 144 points. Tennessee Tech was tabbed third (118) while Morehead State earned one first-place vote and finished fourth (107). Eastern Illinois was predicted fifth (92) while SIUE earned the final first-place vote and was tabbed sixth (89). The poll was rounded out by UT Martin (69), Southern Indiana (57), Lindenwood (45) and Western Illinois (22).
 
2025 Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Kam Edwards (.358)
Hits: Kam Edwards (57)
RBI: Sam Grunberg (34)
ERA: Easton Rakers (2.25)
Strikeouts: Eli Brown (48)
 
Head Coach PJ Finigan
PJ Finigan will begin his third season on the Lindenwood baseball staff in 2025, and his second as head coach.
 
In his first year at the helm of the program, the Lions won 16 games, including nine inside the Ohio Valley Conference. Josh Newell was tabbed conference pitcher of the week once during the season, while Dawson Hokuf went on to earn second team All-OVC honors. Hokuf finished the 2024 season hitting .344, and led the team in home runs (6) and RBI's (33). Lindenwood was active on the base paths this season as the Lions led the OVC with 99 stolen bases. Five players finished the year with double digit steals.
 
Under the direction of Finigan, Joe Copeland and Easton Rakers earned all-conference honors. Copeland garnered second-team recognition as a utility player after hitting .333. Rakers landed on the all-newcomer team as he was the best arm out of the pen for Lindenwood, posting a 3.31 ERA in 20 appearances. Preston Salazar was tabbed OVC Pitcher of the Week one time during the year after tossing a complete game five-hitter against Tennessee Tech on April 6.
 
Up Next
Lindenwood hits the road for a three-game OVC series at Western Illinois, which begins on Friday at 2:00 p.m.