Southeast Missouri (17-8, 9-0 OVC) vs. SIUE (4-17, 2-7 OVC)
Series Information
Dates: Friday-Sunday, April 1-3, 2016
First Pitch: 6 p.m. / 2 p.m. / 1 p.m.
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Stadium: Capaha Field
Series: Southeast leads 12-4
Head Coaches: Steve Bieser (116-84, Fourth Season); Tony Stoecklin (61-115, Fourth Season)
 
Media Information
Radio: SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM / Erik Sean, Jess Bolen | Listen Live
Live Video: n/a
Live Stats: Game One | Game Two | Game Three
Twitter Updates: @SEMObaseball
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri | SIUE
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: LHP Joey Lucchesi (5-1) vs. RHP P.J. Schuster (0-3)
Saturday: RHP Clay Chandler (3-0) vs. RHP Jarrett Bednar (0-5)
Sunday: LHP Robert Beltran (3-1) vs. RHP Brendan Miller (2-1)
 
Leading Off
• Southeast Missouri baseball (17-8, 9-0 OVC) welcomes SIUE (4-17, 2-7 OVC) for a three-game OVC series this weekend. First pitch Friday set for 6 p.m. from Capaha Field.
• This weekend kicks off fan experiences including Friday Night Under the Lights, the first free tailgate of the season on Saturday, and Sunday Runday for kids.
• The Redhawks are riding a seven-game winning streak, the longest since 2014. The streak is tied for fourth-longest in Division I currently. Southeast has won 11 of its last 12.
• Southeast is 12-4 against SIUE all-time, 9-3 since the Cougars joined the league in 2012.
• Southeast finished the month of March with a 13-5 record.
• In total, Southeast outscored its opponents last week, 78-24. The Redhawks blasted 13 total home runs last week.
• 17 of the Redhawks' 22 home runs have come in the last two weeks. Southeast ranks 36th nationally in the category.
• Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville State are two of four teams to open conference play 9-0 this season nationally. The 9-0 starts are a program best for both teams.
• Ryan Rippee picked up his first career adidas® OVC Player of the Week this week after driving in 14 runs last week.
• D1Baseball.com has ranked the Redhawks 38th in its latest RPI list.
• Southeast has moved up to 13th in runs scored (191) nationally and 24th in scoring with 9.5 runs per game.
• The Redhawks' weekend starting pitching staff has combined for a 1.92 ERA, 138 strikeouts, and a 11-2 record in 18 combined starts.
• LHP Joey Lucchesi ranks first in the nation in strikeouts with 60 this season.
 
Redhawks Rundown
Back to Capaha
The Southeast Missouri baseball team (17-8, 9-0 OVC) plays host to Ohio Valley Conference foe SIUE (4-17, 2-7 OVC) this weekend in a three-game series. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m. under the lights while Saturday's contest will begin at 2 p.m. and Sunday's at 1 p.m.
 
Join us for Fun
This weekend will feature some new fan experiences as well as an all-time fan favorite. All experiences are free for everyone.
Friday Night Under the Lights - Fans of all ages will have the opportunity to play catch under the lights of Capaha Field following Friday's game. The field will be open for 30 minutes for fans following the end of the game.
Free Tailgate - Wings Etc. and River Eagle Distributing will be sponsoring the first free tailgate of the season at Saturday's game.
Sunday Runday and Autographs - Kids 14 and under can run the bases after Sunday's series finale. The Redhawks will also be signing schedule posters for kids following the game.
 
Follow the Redhawks
This weekend's series will be broadcast live on SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM. Erik Sean will provide play-by-play on the broadcast. Sean will be joined by Jess Bolen who will provide analysis. Fans can download the SEMO ESPN app to listen to live broadcasts of Redhawks baseball all season long. Live stats will be available on GoSoutheast.com. Live Twitter updates are available on the official Twitter page of the Redhawks, @SEMObaseball.
 
Let's Recap
The Redhawks went 4-0 last week while extending their winning streak to seven games and staying perfect in Ohio Valley Conference play at 9-0. The week began with an 18-10 win over Harris-Stowe at home. The Redhawks took to the road for a three-game OVC series at UT Martin. The Redhawks picked up a sweep of the Skyhawks, outscoring them by a 60-14 margin. After putting up a season-high 18 runs on Tuesday, the Redhawks topped that with 19 runs in game one Thursday. Joey Lucchesi picked up his league-best fifth victory on the mound. The Redhawks took game two, 15-6. Branden Boggetto tied a school record with six hits in Friday's game; also tying for most in a DI game this season. The already hot offense erupted even more in game three, putting up 26 runs on 31 hits including eight home runs in the game. Southeast's eight home runs is the most by a Division I team this season. It's 26 runs is the seventh-most this season. In total, Southeast outscored its opponents last week, 78-24. Overall, Southeast has won seven-straight games and 11 of its last 12 overall with the lone loss over that three-week period coming in the second game of a two-game set at Missouri. Southeast's home game against Maryville on Wednesday was washed out due to storms.
 
What's Ahead
The Redhawks' homestand will wrap up Apr. 5 in the first game of the annual home-and-home series with Arkansas State. The Redhawks and Red Wolves are set to begin at 6 p.m. Southeast will then take to the road for four games beginning with a three-game OVC set at Austin Peay, Apr. 8-10.
 
Series History
All time, Southeast holds a 12-4 record over SIUE. Since SIUE joined the league, the Redhawks are 9-3 over the Cougars. The Redhawks have won seven of the last eight meetings with the lone loss coming last season in Edwardsville.
 
Scouting the SIUE Cougars
SIUE won a pair of games last week, topping Saint Louis in non-conference play and taking one game from Tennessee Tech, both of which came in walk-off fashion. Against the Billikens the Cougars trailed 7-2 but scored one run in the sixth, two in the seventh and three in the eight to take a one-run lead. SLU scored a lone run in the top of the ninth to tie the game again before Austin Verschoore reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch to give his team the victory. Against Tech on Friday Brock Weimer singled in the tying run before Dustin Woodcock singled home Verschoore who had pinch run earlier in the inning. For the week Keaton Wright hit .467 (7-for-15) with two doubles, a home run and four RBI while Alec Skender added a .421 average (8-for-19) in four games. Skyler Geissinger, normally an infielder, pitched two innings without allowing a run in Tuesday's victory over Saint Louis.
 
Perfect in Conference Play
Both Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville State have started OVC play 9-0 which is an all-time best for each program. Currently the two teams are one of four nationally to begin conference play 9-0 alongside Southeastern Louisiana (Southland) and South Alabama (Sun Belt). The 9-0 starts are the best for an OVC team since Eastern Illinois established the OVC record when it began the 2001 season 17-0 (and finished the year 19-1).
 
adidas® OVC Player of the Week
Senior first baseman Ryan Rippee has been named this week's adidas® OVC Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. Rippee drove in 14 runs last week for Southeast. His 14 RBI made up nearly 20% of the Redhawks' run production. He hit an even .500 with 10 hits including three doubles and two home runs. His three doubles all came against Harris-Stowe, tying the school record for doubles in a game. Rippee raised his batting average 48 points last week and now leads the team with 27 RBI, which ranks in the top five in the league. He had 13 RBI entering the Harris-Stowe game. This is Rippee's first OVC Player of the Week award of his career and the second consecutive week a Redhawk has earned it. Hunter Leeper won co-player honors a week ago.
 
Seven in a Row
Southeast Missouri is currently riding a seven-game winning streak. It is Southeast's longest winning streak since they went on an eight-game streak in 2014 (Mar. 28-Apr. 8). 2014's eight-game streak is the longest under Steve Bieser. The program record is 14 games set in 2003. Southeast has won 11 of its last 12 games and finished the month of March with a 13-5 record. The active seven-game winning streak is tied for fourth-longest in NCAA Division I currently.
 
Going Yard
After a slow offensive state, the Redhawk bats have been heating up in the last few games. 17 of the Redhawks 22 home runs have come in the last two weeks or seven games. Southeast hit eight home runs in game three at UT Martin, the most for a Division I team this season. Five of the eight homers came in the second inning. Ryan Rippee, Hunter Leeper, and Chris Osborne all have four home runs each to lead the team. The Redhawks have won every game in which they have hit a home run.
 
D1Baseball.com RPI
D1Baseball.com has ranked Southeast Missouri at No. 38 on its latest Rating Percentage Index. The Redhawks are the highest OVC team on the list; the next is Morehead State at 62. Only three OVC teams rank in the top 100.
 
Tailgate Dates Announced
The Department of Athletics announced five free tailgate games for the 2016 baseball season. The five tailgates will begin April 2 and run through May 3.  
Apr. 2 - Wings Etc. and River Eagle Distributing
Apr. 16 - Jimmy Johns and Kohlfeld Distributing
Apr. 26 - Bluff City Beer (food and beverages)
Apr. 29 - Bank of Missouri and River Eagle Distributing
May 3 - Wings Etc. and Kohlfeld Distributing
 
The Top Trio
The Redhawks' three weekend starting pitchers, Joey Lucchesi, Clay Chandler, and Robert Beltran, have been nearly unstoppable this season. The three each rank in the top four ERAs in the OVC, led by Lucchesi's 1.48 clip. The three have combined for a 1.92 ERA and have struck out 138 batters. Together, the three are 11-2 in their 18 starts on the mound. Lucchesi leads the country with 60 strikeouts this season.
 
Key Two-Out Hitting
The Redhawk offense has capitalized on two-out situations in its 25 games this season. In all, the Redhawks have scored 191 runs on the season, 174 of which were driven in. With two out, Southeast has recorded 75 runs batted in this season, 43% of the Redhawks' total RBI. The Redhawks have 85 two-out hits this season and hit .288 with two down in an inning.
 
Going Streaking
Trevor Ezell has reached base safely in all 24 games he has played in this season. Dating back to 2015, he has been on base in each of his last 31 games. He is currently on a team-best nine-game hitting streak Branden Boggetto has reached base in the last 12 games. Brian Lees and Ryan Rippee have each hit safely in the last six games.