Southeast Missouri (19-12) at No. 20 Missouri State (20-8)
Tuesday, April 7, 2015; 6:35 p.m.
Head Coaches
Steve Bieser (82-65, Third Season)
Keith Guttin (33^rd season)
Radio: SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM
Play-by-Play: Erik Sean
Audio Webcast: SEMOESPN.com
Live Stats: MissouriStateBears.com
Twitter Updates: @SEMObaseball, @GoSoutheast
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri
 
Southeast Missouri Probable Starting Rotation
Tuesday – RHP Garret Stockton
 
Missouri State Probable Starting Rotation
Tuesday – LHP Andy Cheray
 
Redhawk Rundown
 
Show Me State Showdown
The Southeast Missouri baseball team will play in-state rival Missouri State Tuesday in Springfield, Missouri. The Bears entered a number of Top 25 polls Monday including being ranked No. 20 in D1Baseball.com's National Poll. The Redhawks are coming off a series win over Austin Peay that propelled them to sole possession of first place in the Ohio Valley Conference. Garret Stockton will make his sixth start of the season against the Bears Tuesday. The series can be heard live on SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM.
 
Let's Review
The Redhawks went 2-2 at home last week, dropping a midweek game to Arkansas State and the series opener to Austin Peay. The Redhawks bounced back to win the series with the Govs with a 3-2 win Saturday and a thrilling, 13-inning affair Sunday that Southeast won 12-11. Southeast almost saw its first player hit for the cycle in 12 years in Sunday's finale. Trevor Ezell and Hunter Leeper each fell a leg short of hitting for the cycle. Ezell needed a double and Leeper needs a home run. Ezell would finish the game going 4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored. Alex Winkelman pitched seven innings in the finale, allowing only two runs on five hits but would get a no decision after Austin Peay put up nine more runs over two innings to tie the game and force extra innings. With the win, Southeast remains a perfect 2-0 in extra inning games this season. 
 
OVC Pitcher of the Week
Travis Hayes was named OVC Pitcher of the Week Monday. Hayes picked up his fifth win of the season Saturday in Southeast Missouri's 3-2 win over Austin Peay. Hayes pitched eight scoreless innings in his eighth start. He allowed two runs in the ninth before being taken out of the game after eight and a third innings of work. He struck out a career-high 12 batters en route to the victory. He was perfect the first time through the batting order before giving up the first Governor hit in the fourth inning. Hayes held the Governors scoreless and to only three hits through eight innings. He didn't allow any extra base hits as all four allowed were singles.
 
NCAA Home Run Report
The NCAA released a report Wednesday stating that home runs in collegiate baseball have increased 39% from a year ago. For Southeast Missouri, home runs have increased 45% percent, above the national average. The Redhawks have hit 31 homers so far this season. At the end of March last season, Southeast had hit only 17. Nationally, the Redhawks rank sixth in the nation in home runs and ninth in home runs per game (1.11). The rise in home runs have been attributed to the new lower-seamed baseballs.
 
Looking Ahead
The Redhawks will travel to Charleston, Illinois this weekend to take on Eastern Illinois in a three-game OVC series. The Panthers picked up their first win of the season Saturday when they downed Tennessee Tech, 14-2. The Panthers now sit at 1-23 on the season, 1-11 in OVC play. The Redhawks will then return home for four games next week. Regional rival Southern Illinois comes to Cape on April 14 followed by Jacksonville State April 17-19. April 17 will be the first tailgate of the season at Capaha Park.