Redhawks (6-2) vs. Arkansas State (4-4)
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 6pm
Jonesboro, Ark.
J.A. "Ike" Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field
Head Coaches
            Steve Bieser: 32-35, second season
            Tommy Raffo: fifth season
Radio: ESPN 1220 AM
            Play-by-Play: Erik Sean
            Audio Webcast: ESPN1220.com
Live Stats: AStateRedWolves.com
Twitter Updates: @SEMObaseball, @GoSoutheast
Weather Forecast
            Tuesday: Mostly sunny, high of 52°, 20% chance of precip.
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri | Arkansas State
 
Redhawks Take on Red Wolves
Southeast Missouri baseball will make a day trip to Jonesboro, Ark. Tuesday for a showdown with the Arkansas State Red Wolves. This will be the first game of the annual home-and-home series between the two teams. Arkansas State will make the trip to Cape April 1. Alex Winkelman will make his second start of the season Tuesday evening.
 
Let's Review
The Redhawks enter Tuesday's game on a four-game winning streak after opening the 2014 home schedule with four wins. Southeast dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker at UALR before opening the home schedule with a 6-4 win over Harris-Stowe. In the first home weekend series of the season, the Redhawks pulled the brooms out for a sweep of the IPFW Mastodons. The Redhawks laid a beat down on the Mastodons in game one, 18-0.
 
OVC Pitcher of the Week
Tyler Iago earned his first Ohio Valley Conference weekly honor Monday. Iago improved to 2-0 on the season by striking out nine and not allowing a run in six innings of Friday's 18-0 victory over IPFW. The junior scattered three hits (one in each of the first three innings) and walked only one batter. After allowing a single to start the third inning, Iago retired the final 11 batters he faced, including striking out the side in the sixth inning, before leaving the game. Iago also ranks among the best pitchers in the league with a 1.50 ERA this season.
 
The Pen is Mightier
The Redhawks bullpen has been stellar so far this season. In 32.1 innings out of the pen, Redhawk pitchers have given up only nine runs to opponents. The bullpen's ERA this season is an impressive 2.51. Southeast also has four saves this season, a league-best. All four saves belong to Garret Stockton.
 
Speed Racers
Southeast Missouri currently leads the OVC in stolen bases. Southeast is 13-of-16 on the base paths in 2014. Belmont is 10-of-15 attempts. Jason Blum currently has three to his name while Cole Bieser, Clayton Evans, and Dalton Hewitt all have two each. The Redhawks also lead the conference in stolen bases per game (1.63).
 
League Rankings
Among the OVC, the Redhawks rank third in all three team categories: batting (.299 batting average), pitching (3.21 ERA), and fielding (.970 fielding pct.). The pitching staff is holding opponents to a league-best .241 batting average and also batters struck out looking (24). Along with the defense, Southeast pitchers are allowing only a league-leading 8.10 hits/game.
 
OVC Preseason Poll
The Southeast Missouri Redhawks were picked to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2014. The Redhawks had no picks to the Preseason All-OVC team. Southeast Missouri was picked eighth in 2013 but exceeded expectations in Steve Bieser's first year as head coach as the team finished sixth overall. With the No. 6 seed in the tournament, the Redhawks went 2-2 before being eliminated. Southeast Missouri finished the season 26-33.
 
Preseason All-American
Junior second baseman Jason Blum was named Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball newspaper on Dec. 23. Blum started all 59 games for the Redhawks and hit .323 with 21 doubles, 33 RBI, and nine stolen bases.
 
College Sports Madness Preseason
CollegeSportsMadness.com released their Preseason All-OVC team Saturday. Derek Gibson was named First Team while Matt Tellor, Jason Blum, and Dalton Hewitt were all named Second Team.
 
2014 Roster Breakdown
The 2014 roster is compiled of 35 men. Seven seniors are featured on the team but only five of which are returners. Of 14 juniors, seven are transfers to the team in 2014. The roster is rounded out by eight sophomores and six freshman. 19 players on the team are from right here in Missouri.
 
What's on Tap?
Southeast Missouri closed the 2013 regular season with a series win over the Memphis Tigers at home, igniting a new rivalry between the teams. The rivalry will continue Feb. 28-Mar. 2 as the Redhawks take to FedExPark for another three-game series with the Tigers. Memphis is 6-1 thus far in 2014 with a sweep of Western Michigan, a series win over Samford, and a 6-4 victory over nationally-ranked Mississippi State in Starkville last Wednesday.