Southeast Missouri (8-12) at Southern Illinois (16-8)

Game Information
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Time: 4 p.m., CT
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Facility: Charlotte West Stadium
Head Coaches: Mark Redburn (193-266 overall, 27-39 at Southeast, 14-13 OVC). Kerri Blaylock (578-313 overall, 578-313 at SIU, 262-121 MVC).
Video: SIUSalukis.com
Live Stats: SIUSalukis.com
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri

Redhawks Visit Southern Illinois Tuesday
Southeast Missouri (8-12) heads to regional-rival Southern Illinois (16-8) for a midweek matchup Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m., CT, at Charlotte West Stadium.

Follow the Redhawks
Free video and Live stats for Tuesday's game between Southeast and Southern Illinois can be accessed online at SIUSalukis.com.

Midweek Games
Southeast is 2-2 in midweek games this season. The Redhawks began midweek action when they travelled to Jackson State (Mar. 15) and Southeastern Louisiana (Mar. 16) for doubleheaders last week. Southeast swept Jackson State, 10-1, 9-8, and fell to Southeastern Louisiana, 7-1, 4-3 in those contests.

Series History
Southern Illinois owns a 76-29-1 advantage in its all-time series against Southeast. The Redhawks won each of the last two meetings between these teams, posting a 14-7 victory in 2013 and 4-3 win in 10 innings a year ago. Both of those contests were in Cape Girardeau. Southeast has not won in Carbondale, Illinois since 2001 (4-0 on Mar. 20).

Redburn vs. SIU
Southeast second-year head coach Mark Redburn is 7-9 all-time against Southern Illinois. Fifteen of those meetings came when Redburn was head coach at Evansville. Redburn beat the Salukis for the first time at the Southeast helm in 2015. The Redhawks 4-3, 10-inning victory on Apr. 8, 2015 marked the 100th win of Redburn's career as an NCAA Division I head coach.

On the Road
Tuesday's game is Southeast's 18th outside of Cape Girardeau this season. The Redhawks are presently 6-11 in such contests (3-3 in true road games; 3-8 in games at neutral sites).

Happy Easter
Southeast plays five games this week prior to Sunday's Easter holiday. After visiting Southern Illinois Tuesday, the Redhawks return to Ohio Valley Conference action for home doubleheaders against Belmont (Mar. 25) and Tennessee State (Mar. 26).

Gaining Momentum
The Redhawks, who have won four of their last seven games, opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a 2-1 series win over Murray State (Mar. 19-20). Southeast swept the Racers in a doubleheader, 4-3, 9-1, before dropping the finale, 16-5. It was Southeast's first series win of the season and second all-time against MSU.

Home & OVC Openers
After playing 17-straight games away from home, Southeast played on its home diamond for the first time this season when it won a three-game series against Murray State (Mar. 19-20). The Redhawks improved to 19-6 in home-openers since moving to the NCAA Division I level in 1992. Southeast also won its Ohio Valley Conference opener for the fifth time in six seasons and moved to 16-9 in league-opening games.

Two-Out Magic
The Redhawks hit .480 (12-for-25) and had 10 RBIs with two outs in their last three games. Eight different players, including Savannah Carpenter, Riley Hayes, Haylee Krack, Sarah Messex, Darby Pruett, Brittany Stevens, Danielle Turner and Harli Wheeler contributed at least one two-out hit against Murray State (Mar. 19-20). Stevens also added three 2-out RBIs.

Season-High
Southeast collected a season-high 15 hits in its 9-1 victory over Murray State (Mar. 19). Danielle Turner (3), Brittany Stevens (2), Savannah Carpenter (3), Sarah Messex (2) and Darby Pruett (2) accounted for 12 of the hits. The Redhawks posted double-digit hits a total of five times this season and are undefeated in games where they get 10 or more hits.

Batting Average Improves
As a team, Southeast raised its batting average 25 points from .251 to a season-best .276 over its last three games alone. The Redhawks are now fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in batting average. Claire Wernig (.328), Danielle Turner (.321), Haylee Krack (.314) and Savannah Carpenter (.311) are each hitting over .300 this year.

Among Home Run Leaders
Southeast ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference with 15 home runs through 20 games this season. Seven different players have hit a home run for the Redhawks. Haylee Krack leads the team and is tied for first in the OVC with five home runs. Danielle Turner follows close behind with three. Southeast has homered in 10 games this season and is 6-4 in those contests.

Productive Spring Break
First baseman Savannah Carpenter hit .500 (8-for-15) with five runs scored, three doubles, a home run and six RBIs in seven games during Southest's spring break a week ago. A native of Newbury Park, California, Carpenter hit safely in five her starts. She hit a home run to help lead Southeast to a 10-1 victory over Jackson State (Mar. 15). Carpenter then began Ohio Valley Conference play by hitting .750 (6-for-8) with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs during the Redhawks series win against Murray State (Mar. 19-20). She also had four walks, boasted an .875 slugging percentage and registered a .619 on-base percentage for the week.

Getting on Base
Freshman shortstop Sarah Messex has reached base in 10-consecutive games since Mar. 5. Messex got on with a hit in six of those contests. It is the Redhawks second-longest streak this season behind Claire Wernig, who reached base in 13-straight games from Feb. 26-Mar. 19.

Stevens Take a Bow
Freshman outfielder Brittany Stevens went 4-for-7 with two runs scored, two doubles, a triple and three RBIs to lead Southeast to its doubleheader sweep of Murray State (Mar. 19). Stevens hit safely in 11 of her first 19 games as a Redhawk and recorded multiple hits on three occasions. She is fifth on the team with a .286 batting average and leads Southeast in doubles (6) and triples (2).