April 15, 2008

Webster, Westminster and Blackburn are currently the teams in the lead for the SLIAC Baseball regular season title, but it remains anyone's game. The Gorloks only have two losses in conference play (Eureka and Greenville), and they face both Westminster and Blackburn early this week in double header action. Maryville remains in the fourth spot, but the Saints hit a few bumps in the road with losses to Westminster and Principia last week. The victory versus Maryville was the first for Principia in the SLIAC this season. Eureka, Fontbonne and Greenville sit in the middle of the standings but still have a chance at the SLIAC Tournament with a lot of games left to play.

Fontbonne opens their series with Maryville this week and will take on Greenville in the conference series this Friday and Saturday. Maryville will face MacMurray in a makeup mid-week, before taking on Blackburn this weekend.

SLIAC schools were able to fit in a few softball games early last week before rain and frigid temperatures postponed the entire weekend schedule. Blackburn and Greenville split a conference double header last Monday before the Beavers took 1-of-2 from Maryville on Wednesday. Blackburn was able to take game one of their double header with the Saints 7-6 by going on a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Webster took care of business with a 16-0, 5-0 sweep over MacMurray. The Gorloks remained in second place in the standings with the victories.

A full schedule remains on the calendar, including three key matchups this week. Eureka hosts Greenville this Thursday in a 3:00 pm conference double header. Both teams currently have three losses in the SLIAC and are fighting to move up in the standings for a spot in the conference tournament. Fontbonne, who is the lone remaining undefeated team in conference play, will face both Maryville (home) and Webster (away) this week.

Maryville's men's tennis squad recorded a key 7-2 victory on the road at Principia last week to remain undefeated in conference play. The Saints have Fontbonne remaining on their schedule, along with a few non-conference matches prior to heading into the 2008 SLIAC Tennis Tournament late next week. Westminster completed their conference schedule with a 6-3 victory at Principia over the weekend. The Blue Jays currently stand at 5-1 in conference play and are in second place in the standings. Webster and Principia are both 2-2 in the SLIAC and will face off this Saturday at Principia's courts. Both squads are also scheduled to face Greenville in a tri-match.

Principia and Greenville remain as the lone undefeated women's tennis teams in conference play. Principia is 4-0 after recording 9-0 victories versus Webster, Westminster, Fontbonne and Maryville. The loss was the first in SLIAC play for Webster, who currently stands at 4-1 and has Greenville and Maryville left to face this week. The Westminster women also currently sit in the top half of the conference at 3-2 and will take on Blackburn and Greenville this week.

Maryville's Nick Profancik claimed his fourth consecutive Golfer of the Week honors after capturing the title and leading the Saints to a second place finish at the Wartburg Spring Invitational. The junior will be looking to repeat as SLIAC Individual Champion next week at the 2008 SLIAC Golf Championships, but he will be facing some tough competition from Blackburn's Chad Harrell and Andy Odle and Webster's Brandon Glen, Juan Proano and Jake Black. Harrell was the top SLIAC finisher at the Big Blue Spring Classic hosted by Millikin University last weekend. He placed in a tie for fifth out of 97 golfers competing. Webster's Jake Black and Juan Proano also placed in the top 20, while leading the Gorloks to a seventh place finish. Fontbonne and Eureka also participated in the tournament and placed 13th and 14th respectively.

Fontbonne and Westminster are the only two squads hitting the links this week. The Blue Jays will compete at the Hannibal-LaGrange Invitational Monday-Tuesday, April 14-15, while the Griffins will travel to Terre Haute, Ind., this Saturday-Sunday, April 19-20, for the Rose-Hulman Invitational. All six SLIAC golf teams will tee off in the SLIAC Championships at Governor's Run Golf Course next Monday-Tuesday, April 21-22, with the winner receiving an automatic qualifying bid to the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships.