WEEKEND PREVIEW
GRIFFON BASEBALL at ARKANSAS TECH
Saturday, Feb. 6
1 p.m. | Live Stats
3 p.m. | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 6
Noon | Live Stats
 
WATCH: 2016 Griffon Baseball Preview

ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Baseball head coach Buzz Verduzco takes his 17^th team at Missouri Western to Arkansas Tech to begin the 2016 season this weekend.
 
Missouri Western will open with a doubleheader against the Wonder Boys on Saturday then wrap up the three-game series on Sunday. Arkansas Tech is 1-2 already on the season after dropping two games at No. 15 St. Mary's last weekend.
 
Verduzco enters his 17^th season with a 463-348 overall record as only the second head baseball coach in Missouri Western history. His team is coming off a 29-21 campaign in 2015 that saw the team go 22-14 in the MIAA, finishing fifth. This year's team, which features five returning starters and 10 letter winners, was picked to finish fifth once again by the MIAA coaches.
 
Headlining the returning group are 2015 All-MIAA selections Richard Peoples (3^rd team, pitcher), Cosimo Cannella (honorable mention, infielder), David Glaude (honorable mention, infielder) and Orencio Fisher (honorable mention, utility). Verduzco believes he may have the deepest pitching staff he's ever had at MWSU, headlined by Peoples who will make the move from closer to starter in 2016. Verduzco has also said his lineup may be as consistent as he's put out in quite a while, if ever. Fisher finished 2015 with a .359 batting average, second on team. Glaude batted .345 and led the team with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. Cannella finished the year with a .337 average and slugged .655 with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 44 RBIs.
 
Peoples went 5-3 with an 1.82 ERA in 18 appearances, all in relief last year. In his 34.2 innings, Peoples held opponents to a .232 clip, striking out 28 batters and allowing 29 hits. He's likely to be joined in the rotation by Indiana State transfer Conner Schwienebart. The 6-4 right hander appeared in 18 games last season at Indiana State, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.55 ERA in 24.2 innings. Other potential rotational candidates include newcomer Alex Clavet, who won a regional championship last year at Monroe College, and returner Weton Caindec.
 
ARKANSAS TECH AT A GLANCE
Sitting at 1-2 so far this season, the Wonder Boys were picked fifth in the GAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Last year the team tied for fourth in the GAC with a 30-21 overall record and a 16-10 mark in conference play. Kaleb Warden sits atop the stat sheet after Arkansas Tech's first three games with a .400 batting average, collecting six hits and three RBIs last weekend. Only one starter left with a decision last weekend. Trent Armstrong, a 2015 second team All-GAC pick, went 4.1 innings and allowed six runs in his start at St. Mary's. Isaac Hale went 4.2 in his start last weekend, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Ryan Vruggink picked up the lone win in relief.