Tennessee Tech (11-14, 5-7 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (16-14, 9-6 OVC)

Series Information
Dates: April 16-17, 2021
Schedule: Apr. 16 - 5 p.m., CT; Apr. 17 - 1 p.m., CT (DH)
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Facility: Capaha Field (2,000)
Series: SEMO leads, 53-40
Last Meeting: SEMO 9, TTU 4 (Apr. 20, 2019 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Andy Sawyers (191-137 overall; 104-110 at SEMO; 57-51 OVC). Steve Smith (758-549-1 overall, 305-264 at TTU).

Follow the Redhawks
Watch: ESPN+ Game1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Radio: SEMO ESPN 93.5 FM & 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Twitter: @SEMObaseball
Notes: Southeast Missouri

Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1 - Dylan Dodd, LHP (SEMO) / Jackson Berry, LHP (TTU)
Game 2 - Noah Niznik, LHP (SEMO) / Ty Fisher, LHP (TTU)
Game 3 - TBA (SEMO) / TBA (TTU)

Redhawks Host Tennessee Tech
Southeast Missouri (16-14, 9-6) hosts Tennessee Tech (11-14, 5-7) in a three-game series this weekend. The Redhawks and Golden Eagles will play a 5 p.m. single game Friday followed by a 1 p.m., CT doubleheader Saturday.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to this weekend's series at SEMO ESPN 93.5 FM and 1220 AM. Erik Sean will call the action. All three games will air live on ESPN+. Live stats can be accessed at GoSoutheast.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMObaseball.

Series History
Southeast Missouri meets Tennessee Tech for the 94th time Friday. SEMO holds a 53-40 lead in the all-time series. The Golden Eagles won 17 of the last 25 meetings between these teams. SEMO last won a series against TTU in 2012 (2-1). The Redhawks also ended the Golden Eagles 28-game winning streak (longest in the nation at the time) with a 10-6 victory on Apr. 29, 2018 in Cookeville, Tennessee.

Series Wins
Southeast Missouri recorded six series wins this season, four of which came in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Redhawks beat South Alabama (2-1), Illinois State (3-1), SIU Edwardsville (2-1), Austin Peay (2-1), Jacksonville State (2-1) and Murray State (2-1) for those victories. SIUE, JSU and MSU were ahead of SEMO in the OVC standings at the time the Redhawks faced them. 

Nine OVC Wins 
Southeast Missouri is at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference standings with Morehead State. SEMO (9-6) leads the OVC with nine conference wins, but is second in terms of winning percentage (.600) in league games behind the Eagles (6-3, .667). The Redhawks have played six more OVC games than MSU. SEMO has already played four teams in the top six spots of the conference standings, including Murray State (third), Jacksonville State (fourth), SIU Edwardsville (fifth) and Eastern Illinois (sixth). 

Second Half
The Redhawks begin the second half of their Ohio Valley Conference schedule when Tennessee Tech comes to town this weekend. Southeast Missouri will play road series at Belmont (Apr. 30-May 1) and Morehead State (May 14-15), and host Eastern Kentucky (May 7-8) and UT Martin (May 20-21) in its final two home series to close out its 30-game conference slate.

Midweek vs. OVC
Southeast Missouri played its first of two midweek games against Ohio Valley Conference foes when it beat UT Martin, 8-1, at Skyhawk Field on Apr. 13. SEMO sent 12 men to the plate in a 25-minute top of the second inning where it scored six runs. The Redhawks notched three singles, two doubles, a triple and one home run during that early surge. SEMO is also scheduled to face Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tennessee on Apr. 28. Neither of those matchups count as OVC games.

Andrews Sets New Career-High
In his third start at first base this season, Lincoln Andrews finished with a career-high three hits against UT Martin (Apr. 13). Andrews went 3-for-5 with a double, one run scored and one RBI in that game. It was his sixth multiple-hit game of the year.

Grossius Gets the Win
Bryce Grossius picked up his second win of the season when he beat UT Martin (Apr. 13). In his second start, Grossius struck out four and allowed only one run on four hits in 3.1 innings against the Skyhawks. He is 2-1 through 11 appearances and two starts this year.

Wilber on Eight-Game Hitting Streak 
Tyler Wilber looks to keep his hitting streak intact when Southeast Missouri hosts Tennessee Tech this weekend. Wilber has hit safely in eight-straight games and recorded three or more hits in four of those contests. 

Stauss Heats Up 
Catcher Wade Stauss carries a seven-game hitting streak into this weekend's series against Tennessee Tech. Stauss has homered in three-straight games and five of his last six starts. He also had three RBI twice and multiple hits on two occasions during that stretch.

Career Stolen Base Record in Sight 
Connor Basler is second on the team with seven stolen bases this season. Basler ranks third all-time among Southeast Missouri's all-time career stolen base leaders with 50. He needs three more to break the school's all-time career record. Denver Stuckey (2000-03) currently holds the record with 52 stolen bases.

Last OVC Series 
The Redhawks took two of three from then Ohio Valley Conference leader Murray State (Apr. 9-10) in its last conference series. SEMO swept the Racers in a doubleheader by scores of 8-3 and 12-8 to claim its 2-1 series victory. Tyler Wilber led Southeast Missouri hitting .462 with three runs, three doubles, a home run and five RBI against MSU.

New Season-Highs 
Southeast Missouri established new season-highs in hits (13) and runs (12) during its doubleheader sweep of Murray State (Apr. 9). The Redhawks scored 20 runs on 25 hits in that twin bill. SEMO had a total of 34 hits against the Racers, its most in a any series this season.  

Top Threats
Tyler Wilber and Jevon Mason lead Southeast Missouri in batting average hitting .390 and .384, respectively. Mason also tops the Redhawks with a .489 on-base percentage, while Wilber is also first on the team in hits (46), RBI (29) and slugging percentage (.568). He is third in the Ohio Valley Conference in batting average, as well. 

About Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech is 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with an overall record of 11-14 and 5-7 in league play. TTU has last eight of its last 10 games. Brett Roberts leads the Golden Eagles and ranks sixth in the league with a .373 batting average. Roberts also ranks sixth among conference leaders in hits (38) and first in doubles (10).

200th Career Start
Second baseman Connor Basler made his 200th career start at Murray State (Apr. 9). Basler has played and started more games than any Redhawk on this year's roster. He currently leads the team with 208 games and 203 starts since joining the program in 2017.

Wilber Named to Brooks Wallace Award Watch List
Southeast Missouri shortstop Tyler Wilber was named to the 2021 Brooks Wallace Award watch list on Apr. 13. A group of 100 of the most talented athletes in Division I college baseball headline the 2021 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, announced by the College Baseball Foundation. The watch list features some of the most recognizable names in college baseball who either have paced perennial powers or led some relative newcomers to new heights. The award, sponsored by Mizuno, honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented this summer by the College Baseball Foundation. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27. The award rewards outstanding defensive play as much as it does production at the plate, which opens the watch list to all kinds of players at the position. Wilber is one of five Ohio Valley Conference players on the list joining Trey Sweeney (Eastern Illinois), Casey Harford (UT Martin), Ed Johnson (Tennessee Tech) and Cole Frederick (Jacksonville State).

Getting on Base
Andrew Keck has reached base in 19 consecutive games. Keck also hit safely in 17 of those contests. His reached base streak is the longest of any Redhawk this season. Jevon Mason also reached base in 14 straight games.

Stauss Homers in Three-Straight Games 
Catcher Wade Stauss hit a home run in each of his last three games. Stauss hit a home run in games two and three of Southeast Missouri's series at Murray State (Apr. 9-10). He followed that up with a solo home run at UT Martin (Apr. 13). Stauss leads the Redhawks and is tied for third in the Ohio Valley Conference with nine home runs this season. He has hit a home run in five of his last six starts.

NCAA Top-25 Rankings
Peyton Leeper ranks 12th in the nation in triples (3). Connor Basler ranks 11th in sacrifice bunts (6). Dylan Dodd (8) and Noah Niznik (8) are fifth in games started. Dodd is also 17th nationally in strikeouts (63) and Tyler Wilber is 14th in hits (46).

Atop the OVC
Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in stolen bases (43) and sacrifice bunts (19). Individually, Peyton Leeper is tied for first in triples (3) and Dylan Dodd is first in strikeouts (63) and innings pitched (49.2). Additionally, Austin Blazevic is first in putouts (228) and Wade Stauss is tied for first in fielding percentage (1.000). Additionally, Tyler Wilber is tied for first among league foes in hits (46).

Wilber Third in the OVC in Batting Average
Shortstop Tyler Wilber ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .390 batting average. Wilber is also tied for first among league leaders in hits (46), seventh in on-base percentage (.457), tied for fifth in RBI (29)  and fourth in total bases (67).  

13 and Counting
Tyler Wilber leads Southeast Missouri and stands tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference with 13 multiple-hit games this season. Wilber and Eastern Illinois' Logan Eickhoff (13) share the top spot in that category. Wilber collected multiple hits a total of 49 times during his SEMO career.

Over 150 Starts
Two Redhawks have made over 150 starts in their careers. Second baseman Connor Basler tallied a team-high 203 career starts and mainstay center fielder Danny Wright has accumulated 190. Both Basler and Wright are fifth-year seniors after joining Southeast Missouri's baseball program in 2017.

Yard Work
Catcher Wade Stauss launched a three-run home run in back-to-back days during Southeast Missouri's series vs. Illinois State (Mar. 5-7). Stauss hit the first of those two bombs in the bottom of the third inning of game two. He then homered again in that same inning to grab SEMO the lead during the series finale. Stauss leads the Redhawks with nine home runs. The Redhawks have 21 home runs as a team.

Double-Digit Hits 
Southeast Missouri registered 10 or more hits a total of 13 times this season. SEMO collected a season-best 13 hits against Missouri State (Mar. 30) and Murray State (Apr. 9). The Redhawks are 7-6 in games where they put up double-digit hits. SEMO finished with over 10 hits in seven of its last 10 contests.

Career Rankings
Tyler Wilber presently ranks third all-time among Southeast Missouri's career leaders with a .389 batting average. Danny Wright is third in hit by pitch (35) and Connor Basler rates fourth in hit by pitch (29) and tied for second in stolen bases (50). Dylan Dodd ranks fourth all-time in strikeouts/9 innings (10.6) and sixth in walks allowed/9 innings (2.4).

On Deck
Southeast Missouri steps out of Ohio Valley Conference play when it visits Missouri State for a four-game series on Apr. 23-25.