Southeast Missouri (11-10) at Missouri (21-3)
Date: Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2017
First Pitch: 3 p.m.
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Stadium: Taylor Stadium
Head Coaches:
     Andy Sawyers (11-10, first season)
     Steve Bieser (21-3, first season)
 
Media Information
Radio: SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM / Erik Sean | Listen Live
Live Stats: MUTigers.com
Live Video: SEC Network+
Twitter Updates: @SEMObaseball
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri
 
The Matchup
Tuesday: LHP Nate Green (1-0) vs. RHP Bryce Montes De Oca (2-0)
 
Leading Off
Southeast Missouri baseball (11-10) will bring its five-game road stretch to a close Tuesday with a midweek matchup against in-state foe Missouri (22-3). First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Taylor Stadium in Columbia. 
 
Follow the Redhawks
• Tuesday's game will be broadcast live on SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM. Erik Sean and Jess Bolen will be on the call. Fans can download the free SEMO ESPN app to listen to live broadcasts of Redhawks baseball all season long. 
• The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+. Fans with a valid cable subscription can tune in on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app. 
• Live stats will be available on MUTigers.com. 
• @SEMObaseball, the official Twitter page of the Redhawks, will feature live in-game updates all season long. 
 
Series History
Southeast Missouri trails in the all-time series to Missouri, 10-22; however, the Redhawks have been victorious in three of the last five meetings with the Tigers. Last season, the teams played a two-game series in Columbia. Southeast won the opener by a 7-2 margin but fell in game two, 13-6. SEMO beat Mizzou in 2013 (9-7) and 2015 (8-5). 
 
A Peek at What's Ahead
Southeast will return home for a three-game conference set against Austin Peay beginning Mar. 31. Friday's 6 p.m. game will feature the next free tailgate of the season. Fish Fry-Day will be sponsored by Kohlfeld Distributing. Southeast will then set its sights on a home-and-home midweek series with Arkansas State April 4 and 5. 
 
Scouting the Tigers
After dropping the season opener against Eastern Michigan, the Tigers went on the nation's longest winning streak of 20 games, taking down the likes of Houston, Illinois, and Alabama in the process. The streak was snapped Friday in the series opener against Arkansas. The Razorbacks took the series with a one-run win on Sunday. Offensively, the Tigers rank top 15 nationally in sacrifice flies (1st), walks (3rd), one base pct. (12th), and WHIP (14th). Robbie Glendinning is Mizzou's top hitter, hitting .383, slugging .654, on base percentage of .495, driving in 15 runs, knocking six doubles, two triples, and four home runs. Tuesday's starter RHP Bryce Montes De Oca has made three starts on the mound. He made starts against Eastern Illinois, Chicago State, and Little Rock. He's 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in five appearances and 15 and a third innings of work. Of the 10 runs he's allowed, only four have been earned. The Tigers' closer TJ Sikkema has a microscopic ERA of 0.57 with a 5-0 record and three saves in nine appearances. In 31 and a third innings, he's struck out 48 hitters. 
 
Coaching Connections
Tuesday's meeting will be the first against Missouri head coach Steve Bieser. Bieser guided Southeast to three-straight OVC Championships (2014-16) and to the program's first NCAA Regional since 2002. Bieser was 138-97 in his four years at SEMO. Three members of Bieser's staff are SEMO coaching alum including Dillon Lawson, Lance Rhodes, and Joe Migliaccio. 
 
Wizard of Osborne
Right fielder Chris Osborne extended his hitting streak to 14 games this weekend, a career-long for the redshirt-senior. During the streak, Osborne is hitting .473, driven in 20 runs, slugged .745, and recorded a .545 on base clip, all of which lead the team in that span. During the streak, Osborne has seven multi-hit games and a team-best six multi-RBI performances. Since his last hitless game (Western Illinois, 2/26), he has raised his batting average up 184 points from .208 to .392. 
 
Going Streaking
Four Redhawks are currently riding double-digit on-base streaks. Clayton Evans has a team-leading 16-game streak (career long) followed by Chris Osborne with a 15-game streak. Freshmen Connor Basler (12) and Danny Wright (11) are the other two. Dan Holst is a game short with a nine-game on-base streak to complement an eight-game hitting streak. 
 
'Show Me' Baseball
As the 2017 season approaches the end of March, the four Division I baseball teams in the state of Missouri (SEMO, Missouri, Missouri State, Saint Louis) are a combined 64-26 (.711) this season. Under former SEMO head coach Steve Bieser, the Missouri Tigers are sporting a 21-3 record. 
 
Freshmen on Fire
Freshmen middle infielders Danny Wright and Connor Basler have made their presence known early in their rookie campaigns. The two have combined for 10 multi-hit games and are hitting a combined .318 towards the bottom of the lineup. In his last eight starts, Wright is hitting .444, slugging .704, and been on base 57 percent of his plate appearances. Defensively, the two have committed only one error each up the middle. 
 
But Does He Get on Base?
Senior outfielder Dan Holst led the squad last season with a .475 on base percentage and currently leads this season with a .500 clip. His .481 career on base percentage ranks sixth among active Division I players. His 2017 clip ranks 29th nationally. 
 
Hang In There, Slugger
Chris Osborne not only finished as the team and conference leader in slugging last season, he was the national slugging champion with a .741 slugging percentage. So far this season, he is slugging .646 and his career .710 slugging percentage leads active Division I players. His career. 376 batting average ranks sixth in Division I.