Southeast Missouri (35-14, 12-4 OVC) at Tennessee Tech (18-21, 8-8 OVC)

Date: Friday, April 26, 2019
First Pitch: 4 p.m., CT (DH)
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Facility: Tech Softball Field
Series History: TTU leads, 48-43
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2
Twitter: @SEMOsoftball
Southeast Missouri Notes

Southeast Missouri (35-14, 12-4 OVC) at Jacksonville State (30-12, 14-4 OVC)

Date: Sunday, April 28, 2019
First Pitch: 1 p.m., CT (DH)
Location: Jacksonville, Ala.
Facility: University Field
Series History: JSU leads, 39-4
Video: ESPN+ Game 1 | Game 2
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2
Twitter: @SEMOsoftball
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Hit the Road for Big OVC Weekend
Southeast Missouri (35-14, 12-4) travels to Tennessee Tech (18-21, 8-8) and Ohio Valley Conference leader Jacksonville State (30-12, 14-4) for its final two road doubleheaders of the season. The Redhawks will face TTU at 4 p.m., CT, Friday and JSU at 1 p.m., CT, Sunday.

Follow the Redhawks
Live stats for Friday's doubleheader at Tennessee Tech will be available at TTUSports.com. Watch Sunday's doubleheader at Jacksonville State live on ESPN+. Live stats for those games will be available at JSUGamecockSports.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOsoftball.

Series History
Tennessee Tech holds a 48-43 lead in its all-time series against Southeast Missouri. The Redhawks won four of the last six meetings between the teams and swept the Golden Eagles last season. Meanwhile, Jacksonville State is 39-4 all-time against SEMO. The Redhawks beat the Gamecocks, 7-2, to end a 13-game losing streak in the series a year ago. SEMO is 1-18 against the Gamecocks in Jacksonville with its only win coming on Mar. 26, 2011 (7-6).

Redhawks Second in OVC
The Redhawks (12-4) are in a second-place tie with Eastern Kentucky (12-4) in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. OVC leader Jacksonville State (14-4) concludes league play this weekend, while Southeast Missouri has six conference games remaining. SEMO is scheduled to play Morehead State in a 1 p.m. home doubleheader in its regular-season finale on May 4. The change in the bracket for the 2019 OVC Softball Championship awards the top two seeds with a double bye. This year's OVC Softball Championship is May 8-11 in Oxford, Alabama.  

RPI Rating
Southeast Missouri boasts a RPI of 59 (through games Apr. 21), its highest in five years under head coach Mark Redburn. Fellow Ohio Valley Conference members Jacksonville State (94) and Eastern Kentucky (97) also rank among the top 100 in RPI. 

Records Are Falling
The 2019 Southeast Missouri softball team has broken five single-season records through 49 games. Here is that list:
New Record    Previous Record
296 Runs Scored    277 (1998)    
59 Home Runs    57 (2007)    
689 Total Bases    668 (2011)    
75 Stolen Bases    70 (2018)
95 Stolen Base Att.    88 (2017)

Senior Class
Southeast Missouri's senior class consisting of Mykaela Arellanes, Parker Bandy, Mackenzie Long, Sarah Messex and Haley Thogmartin have won a total of 107 games during their Southeast Missouri careers (2016-19). This year's senior class won the most games since the 1996-1999 group (141). 

Morehead State Doubleheader Rescheduled
Southeast Missouri will close out its 22-game Ohio Valley Conference slate when it hosts Morehead State in a 1 p.m., CT, doubleheader May 4. The Redhawks and Eagles were initially scheduled to play on Mar. 29, but those games were postponed due to inclement weather. 

That Was Fast
The Redhawks became the quickest team in the Ohio Valley Conference to 30 wins when they beat UT Martin, 1-0, 6-0, on Apr. 10. Southeast Missouri, presently with 35 victories for the year, has its most wins in a season since 1998 (38). The Redhawks posted 30 or more wins in consecutive  seasons for the first time since 1999 (31-17) and 2000 (31-24). SEMO has a total of seventeen 30-win seasons in its program history. 

What's the Record?
Southeast Missouri's record for most wins in a season during its NCAA Division I era stands at 39 during the 1996 campaign. The record for most wins in a season in program history is 40 during the 1986 season. 

35 or More Wins
Southeast Missouri is one of 20 teams in the nation with 35 or more wins this season (as of games through Apr. 23). The Redhawks rank 35th in the country with a .715 winning percentage at 35-14 overall. Here is the list of teams with 35 or more victories in NCAA Division I softball this year:
Oklahoma    41-2 (.953)
UCLA    40-2 (.952)
Alabama    46-4 (.920)
Louisiana    42-4 (.913)
Washington    39-7 (.848)
Arizona    38-7 (.844)
James Madison    38-7 (.844)
Northwestern    38-7 (.844)
Florida State    41-8 (.837)
Virginia Tech    40-8 (.833)
UC Davis    35-8 (.814)
Texas Tech    35-9 (.795)
LSU    37-11 (.771)
Florida    37-12 (.755)
Louisiana Tech    36-12 (.750)
Texas    36-12 (.750)
USC Upstate    38-13 (.745)
George Washington    35-14 (.714)
Southeast Missouri    35-14 (.714)
South Florida    35-15 (.700)

Arellanes Breaks Single-Season Runs Record
Mykaela Arellanes broke Southeast Missouri's all-time single-season record in runs scored in the Redhawks doubleheader sweep of Eastern Illinois (Apr. 20). Arellanes leads the Ohio Valley Conference in runs scored and ranks 31st in the nation in runs per game (1.02). Her 50 runs this season surpassed the school's previous record of 48 by Kim Palmer in 1998.

Anderson Among National Leaders
Center fielder Rachel Anderson ranks among the top 10 national leaders in batting average (9th, .458), hits (5th, 66), triples per game (4th, 0.16), total bases (10th, 123) and triples (3rd, 8). Anderson is also 14th in the country in on-base percentage (.543) and 17th in slugging percentage (.854).

Top of the OVC
The Redhawks lead the Ohio Valley Conference in batting average (.311), ERA (2.82), slugging percentage (.528), fielding percentage (.966), on-base percentage (.386), runs (296), hits (406), RBI (259), triples (19), home runs (59), total bases (689), hit by pitch (32), batters struck out looking (66), wins (35) and fielding double plays (21). Individually, Rachel Anderson leads the OVC in batting average (.458), slugging percentage (.854), on-base percentage (.543), hits (66), triples (8) and total bases (123); Mykaela Arellanes leads the conference in runs scored (50); Ashley Ellis is first in RBI (48) and fielding double plays (13); and Claudia Gallo leads the league in hit by pitch (15).

Something in Common
Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville State are the Ohio Valley Conference's top two home run hitting teams. The Redhawks (59) and Gamecocks (51) have hit a combined 110 home runs in 2019. SEMO and JSU have also been hit by a pitch 32 times apiece this season.

Conference Winning Percentage 
At 12-4 in Ohio Valley Conference play, Southeast Missouri presently has a .750 winning percentage in league games. That is the Redhawks highest conference winning percentage since they finished the 2001 season at 16-5 (.761). The four OVC losses are SEMO's second-fewest in a season since the Redhawks joined the league in 1992.  

Home Run Record
Southeast Missouri established a new single-season record in home runs this year. The Redhawks rank 24th in the nation in home runs per game (1.20) and have collected 59 through 49 contests. The school's previous single-season record was 57 in 2007. SEMO hit a home run in 29 games this season and went 17 of those contests with two or more. Ten different Redhawks have homered in 2019.

Ellis Eyes Single-Season RBI Record
First baseman Ashley Ellis needs only one RBI to break Southeast Missouri's all-time single-season record in runs batted in. Ellis leads the Ohio Valley Conference with 48 RBI and is currently tied for first with Kayla Fortner (2015) and Renee Kertz (2011) for SEMO's single-season mark. If Ellis accomplishes the feat, she will become the fourth Redhawk to break a single-season record in 2019 joining Rachel Anderson (123 total bases), Mykaela Arellanes (50 runs scored) and Claudia Gallo (15 hit by pitch). 

Aiming for 20
Pitcher Haley Thogmartin enters the weekend with a 16-6 record inside the circle. Thogmartin is four wins away from reaching 20 this season. If that happens, Thogmartin will become the first pitcher to win 20 games in a season during Southeast Missouri's NCAA Division I era (since 1992). Debbie Schmelz (19-6, 1998), Elaine Fisher (19-20, 2008) and Giana Zimmerman (19-9, 2009) have come the closest to hitting that mark since the Redhawks turned Division I. Fisher is the school's all-time single-season leader with 30 wins in 1991, while SEMO's last pitcher to win 20 games was Missy Sanges (20-7) in 1989.

Midweek Recap
The Redhawks were swept in a doubleheader for the first time this season when they fell, 4-3, 4-1, to Missouri Wednesday. Southeast Missouri is now 7-5 in midweek games.

200th Start
Sarah Messex made her 200th career start at shortstop against Missouri (Apr. 23). Messex has never missed a start in her four-year career. She is one of five players who started all 49 games this season. Messex (201 starts) became the fifth player in Southeast Missouri softball history to start over 200 games. The others are Renee Kertz (214, 2009-12), Carmen Fowler (209, 2008-11), Michelle Summers (208, 2005-08) and Megan McDonald (207, 2005-08).

Two With 10
For the first time since 2007, Southeast MIssouri has two players with 10 or more home runs in a season. Ashley Ellis leads the team with 13 and Rachel Anderson follows with 10. Michelle Summers (14) and Stacia Dopudja (12) were the last to accomplish the feat in 2007.

Walk-Off Smash
Shortstop Sarah Messex hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Southeast Missouri an 11-3 win over Eastern Illinois (Apr. 20). Messex delivered her walk-off smash on Senior Day. It was her sixth round-tripper of the season.

10 Shutout Victories
Southeast Missouri posted its 10th shutout victory of the season when it defeated Austin Peay, 9-0, in five innings on Apr. 12. The Redhawks have been involved in 12 shutouts this year and are 10-2 in those contests.

Anderson Goes Over 100 RBI
Rachel Anderson reached 100 career RBI with her two-run home run against Murray State (Apr. 15). Anderson, now with 104 RBI, has gone over the 100 career mark in four statistical categories. The others are runs (113), hits (185) and starts (152).

Thogmartin Clears 100 Strikeouts
Pitcher Haley Thogmartin went over 100 strikeouts when she recorded five against Saint Louis (Apr. 17). Thogmartin's 111 strikeouts currently rank fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference. It is the first time in her career that she has tallied more than 100 strikeouts in a season.

On the Road
Southeast Missouri owns a 12-6 record in true road games this season. The Redhawks have the best road record of any team in the Ohio Valley Conference. SEMO is one of just three OVC teams with winning records on the road joining Jacksonville State (9-5) and UT Martin (9-8).

Almost There
Haley Thogmartin is one win away from cracking Southeast Missouri's top 10 single-season wins leaders. Thogmartin is 16-6 in the circle this year. Her 16 victories are a career-high. She ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in earned run average (1.91), fourth in innings pitched (131.2), fifth in strikeouts (111), third in wins and third in games started (23).

Ellis Chases Single-Season Home Run Record
First baseman Ashley Ellis clobbered her 13th home run of the season against Eastern Illinois (Apr. 20). Ellis, who ranks tied for third on SEMO's all-time single-season list and fourth among the school's career leaders in home runs (22), is four homers away from breaking the Redhawks single-season record. Kayla Fortner holds that mark with 16 in 2015.

Hurts So Good
Claudia Gallo has been hit by pitch an Ohio Valley Conference and Southeast Missouri single-season high 15 times this season. SEMO hitters have been plunked on 32 occasions through 49 games, most in the conference in 2019. She surpassed Brooke Nett (14, 2001) for the school's new single-season mark. Gallo has been hit by a pitch 25 times in her career. Nett is SEMO's career leader in hit by pitch (35, 2000-03).

Getting Ahead Early
Southeast Missouri has scored in the first inning in 25 games this season and is 19-6 in those contests. The Redhawks have scored first 30 times this year and are 27-3 in such games. SEMO scored a total of 58 runs in the first inning, most in any inning this year.

50 Hits
Rachel Anderson became the first Ohio Valley Conference player to reach 50 hits this season with her strong performance against Eastern Kentucky (Apr. 1). Anderson officially collected her 50th hit on a double in the sixth inning in game one of the doubleheader. She has 66 hits for an average of 1.3 per contest. Anderson has a total of 185 hits in her career. Two other Redhawks, including Mykaela Arellanes (57) and Ashley Ellis (51) have also gone over 50 hits in 2019.

Career Snapshot
Rachel Anderson ranks among Southeast Missouri's top 10 career leaders in a number of different categories. Anderson currently rates first in triples (22), batting average (.414) and slugging percentage (.705); third in total bases (315) and stolen bases (48); fifth in walks (71); tied for fourth in runs scored (113); tied for fifth in home runs (18); and fifth in hits (185). She also has 55 multiple-hit games and 27 multiple-RBI performances in three years as a Redhawk.

Strong to the Finish
The Redhawks have also been strong late in games to this point in the season. Southeast Missouri is a perfect 23-0 when leading after six innings. The Redhawks have outscored their opponents, 53-31, between the sixth (27-17) and seventh (26-14) innings.

Awesome Defense
Defensively, Southeast Missouri has gone 22 games without committing an error this season. Overall, SEMO is 31-6 in games where it has one or no errors. The Redhawks are tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .966 fielding percentage.  

Top-30 in the Nation
Southeast Missouri ranks among the top 30 NCAA Division I teams in five different categories. Entering this weekend, the Redhawks are sixth in triples per game (0.39), 19th in slugging percentage (.528), 24th in home runs per game (1.2), 26th in scoring (6.0 rpg) and 27th in batting average (.311).

Individual Attention
Eight Redhawks currently rank in the national NCAA Division I softball statistics this week. Here is a list of those who rate among the top 30 individuals:
Rachel Anderson    
3rd in Triples (8)
4th in Triples Per Game (0.16)
5th in Hits (66)
9th in BAvg (.458)
10th in Total Bases (123)
14th in OB% (.543)
17th in SLG% (.854)
Claudia Gallo
19th in HBP Per Game (0.33)
Ashley Ellis
25th in RBI (48)

Tough Trio
Pitchers Haley Thogmartin, Alexis Estes and Rachel Rook are all over 100 strikeouts in their respective Southeast Missouri careers. Thogmartin recorded 248, Estes has 115 and Rook has 124. That trio has also combined for 67 wins, including 31 this season alone.

Bombs Away
Ashley Ellis (22), Rachel Anderson (18), Addison Barnouski (17), Sarah Messex (17), Mykaela Arellanes (12) and Claudia Gallo (11) are Southeast Missouri's active players with over 10 career home runs. That group has accounted for 52 of Southeast Missouri's 59 round-trippers this season. 

Over .300
The Redhawks are one of two Ohio Valley Conference teams with a batting average above .300 this season. Southeast Missouri is hitting a league-high .311, eight points ahead of Eastern Kentucky (.303). Five of SEMO's starters are hitting .354 or better, including Rachel Anderson (.458), Mykaela Arellanes (.377), Ashley Ellis (.359), Addison Barnouski (.356) and Claudia Gallo (.354).

Extra Base Hits
Southeast Missouri has had multiple extra base hits in 39 of 49 games this season. The Redhawks presently have a total of 146 extra base hits, including 68 doubles, 19 triples and 59 home runs. SEMO's 146 extra base hits are most in the Ohio Valley Conference. Rachel Anderson (29) and Ashley Ellis (19) have combined for 48 extra base hits this season.

Stealing the Show
Rachel Anderson leads the Redhawks with 21-of-27 stolen bases and Mykaela Arellanes is 13-of-14 on the basepaths this season. As a team, Southeast Missouri is 75-of-95 in stolen bases. The Redhawks 75 stolen bases are a new single-season school record. That surpassed the previous record of 70 done by last year's team (70-of-87).

Top 10 Base Stealers
Rachel Anderson and Mykaela Arellanes are among Southeast Missouri's top 10 career leaders in stolen bases. Anderson ranks third with 48-of-66 stolen bases and Arellanes is tied for fifth with 38-of-43. Lisa Thornton (82-of-91, 1987-91) currently holds the record.

On the Run
The Redhawks have averaged over 60 stolen bases per season (61.6) under head coach Mark Redburn for a total of 308 over five years. Redburn's 2018 (1st, 70), 2017 (3rd, 65) and 2016 (5th, 58) clubs are among SEMO's top five single-season stolen base leaders in program history.

Scoring Jump
Southeast Missouri scored an Ohio Valley Conference high 296 runs (6.0 per game) this season. The Redhawks scored 38 more runs than they did in 53 total games (258) a year ago. The 296 runs are a SEMO single-season record.

Starting Streaks
Two Redhawks have never missed a start in their careers. Senior shortstop Sarah Messex has started 201 consecutive games and junior center fielder Rachel Anderson has made 152 straight starts. 

More with 100 Starts
In addition to Sarah Messex and Rachel Anderson, junior first baseman Ashley Ellis, senior second baseman Parker Bandy, senior right fielder Mykaela Arellanes and junior third baseman Addison Barnouski have started over 100 games at Southeast Missouri. Ellis logged a total of 149 starts, Bandy started 143 contests, Arellanes has started 141 and Barnouski started 122 games. 

10 or More Hits
The Redhawks registered 10 or more hits in 20 games this season with a season-high 14 vs. Abilene Christian (Feb. 15), at Central Arkansas (Mar. 1) and at Tennessee State (Mar. 23). Southeast Missouri outhit its opponent in 33 games and is 32-1 in those contests. SEMO's 406 hits lead the Ohio Valley Conference.

Triple Threat
Center fielder Rachel Anderson, right fielder Mykaela Arellanes and first baseman Ashley Ellis have provided Southeast Missouri with a nice one-two-three punch in the top half of its lineup. Anderson leads the team with a .458 batting average, while Arellanes is hitting .377 and Ellis is hitting .358. The trio has combined for 174 hits, 116 runs, 23 doubles, 11 triples, 30 home runs and 118 RBI this season.

Experienced Infield
First baseman Ashley Ellis (149), second baseman Parker Bandy (143), shortstop Sarah Messex (201) and third baseman Addison Barnouski (122) have combined for 615 career starts on Southeast Missouri's infield. Ellis (.359) and Barnouski (.356) rank second and third on the team in batting average, respectively.

Every Start
A total of five players have started all 49 games for the Redhawks this season. Rachel Anderson (CF), Ashley Ellis (1B), Addison Barnouski (3B), Mykaela Arellanes (RF) and Sarah Messex (SS) form that group.