#1 Southeast Missouri (28-15) vs. #4 Jacksonville State (23-23)
Ohio Valley Conference Tournament
Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021
First Pitch: 1 p.m., CT
Location: Oxford, Ala.
Facility: Choccolocco Park
Series History: JSU leads, 42-9
Last Meeting: JSU 4, SEMO 3 (May 9, 2021 | Jacksonville, Ala.)
Head Coaches: Mark Redburn (391-394 overall; 177-145 at SEMO; 85-61 OVC).Jana McGinnis (954-529 overall; 954-529 at JSU).
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Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: OVCSports.com
Twitter: @SEMOsoftball
OVC Championship Central |
Bracket
Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)
Postseason Time
Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion and top-seeded Southeast Missouri (28-15) opens OVC Tournament play against #4 Jacksonville State (23-23) Thursday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., CT at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.
Follow the Redhawks
All game during this year's four-team Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will air live on ESPN+. Live stats will be available at OVCSports.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOsoftball.
Rook Tabbed OVC Pitcher of the Year, Redburn Wins Coach of the Year to Headline Redhawks All-OVC Honors
Mark Redburn was named Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year and junior Rachel Rookwas tabbed OVC Pitcher of the Year headlining Southeast Missouri's All-Conference honorees for the 2021 season. First baseman Ashley Ellis and center fielder Rachel Anderson also earned first-team accolades along with Rook, while freshmen Jillian Anderson and Katie Dreiling landed on the league's All-Newcomer team.
Complete Story
Oxford Bound
Southeast Missouri clinched a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the fourth time in seven years under Head Coach Mark Redburn. There was no conference tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19. The Redhawks are 4-5 all-time at the OVC Tournament with Redburn at the helm. SEMO is the reigning OVC Tournament Champion after winning the event the last time it was held in 2019.
Choccolocco Park
This year's four-team Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will be held at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama for the fifth time. This will be the 28th time the OVC Softball Championship will be held.
OVC Tournament History
Southeast Missouri makes its 19th all-time Ohio Valley Conference Tournament appearance in 2021. The Redhawks are 43-28 in OVC Tournament play. SEMO has won a total of six OVC Tournament titles (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2019).
2021 OVC Champions
Southeast Missouri won the 2021 Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title and secured the top seed in this week's OVC Tournament with its doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville State (May 8). The Redhawks won their second-straight OVC regular-season crown and seventh all-time in program history.
As the #1 Seed
The Redhawks hold an overall record of 21-6 as the #1 seed in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. This year marks the second-straight and seventh time overall where Southeast Missouri heads to the league's postseason event as the top seed. SEMO also held the tournament's #1 seed in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2019.
Against the #4 Seed
The Redhawks play #4 Jacksonville State in their first game of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Thursday. Southeast Missouri won two of three over the Gamecocks in Jacksonville on May 8-9, the final weekend of the regular season. SEMO is 9-5 in games against the #4 seed at the OVC Tournament.
Tournament Participants
#1 Southeast Missouri (28-15), #2 Eastern Kentucky (32-15), #3 Austin Peay (27-14) and #4 Jacksonville State (23-23) form this year's Ohio Valley Conference tournament field. SEMO is a combined 11-11 against the teams participating in this year's tournament during postseason play -- 5-0 vs. Austin Peay; 3-5 vs. Eastern Kentucky; 3-6 vs. Jacksonville State.
First Series Win Over Jacksonville State
The Redhawks closed out the regular season by posting their first series win over Jacksonville State (May 8-9) in program history. Southeast Missouri won the first two games by scores of 10-5 and 3-2 before dropping the series finale, 4-3. Four of SEMO's nine wins in its all-time series against the Gamecocks came in Jacksonville, Alabama.
2019 Flashback
Top-seeded Southeast Missouri beat then-#2 Jacksonville State to win the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title. SEMO ended JSU's streak of three-straight OVC Tournament titles. Prior to 2019, the Gamecocks won the conference tournament every year it had been in Oxford. JSU was also 14-1 in OVC Tournament games at Choccolocco Park before the Redhawks beat them twice there in 2019.
Redhawks in the OVC Tournament
Six players on this year's roster, including Rachel Anderson, Kaylee Anderson, Ashley Ellis, Chelsy Pena, Anna Griffin and Rachel Rook have previously played in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. This year marks the third-straight OVC Tournament appearance for R. Anderson, K. Anderson, Ellis and Rook.
Hot Redhawks
Since the start of March, the Redhawks have gone 26-7. Southeast Missouri swept Tennessee Tech, Belmont, Morehead State and Murray State and posted series wins against nine of the 10 Ohio Valley Conference teams it faced. The Redhawks won 12-straight conference games before their 5-1 loss to Eastern Illinois (Apr. 3). That OVC winning streak was the longest in the league this season. SEMO's 13-1 OVC start marked its best with Mark Redburn at the helm.
Program Record 23 OVC Wins
Southeast Missouri broke a program record with 23 Ohio Valley Conference wins this season. The Redhawks finished league play at 23-6 surpassing their previous record of 22 wins by both the 1995 (22-4) and 1996 (22-2) teams.
Strong Down the Stretch
The Redhawks reclaimed first place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings following their series sweep of Murray State (May 1-2). Souheast Missouri pulled ahead of Eastern Kentucky and went on to win seven-straight games before dropping its regular season finale at Jacksonville State, 4-3, on May 9.
Season-High Home Runs
Southeast Missouri hit a season-high four home runs, including two by Kaylee Anderson in its 10-5 win over Jacksonville State (May 8). Anderson hit multiple home runs in a game for the third time in her career. Kynzie Wrigley and Alyson Tucker also homered in that game.
Ellis Breaks Career Home Run Record
Ashley Ellis broke Southeast Missouri's all-time career home run record when she hit .500 with three home runs in the Redhawks series sweep of Murray State (May 1-2). Ellis officially broke the record when she hit a pair of home runs in the series finale on May 2. She also scored three runs and had four RBI as all but one of her hits came on the long ball. Ellis posted her fourth multi-home run game of the season and now has 51 career home runs, including a team-best 17 this year. She surpassed Michelle Summers (48, 2005-08) for the new program record. Ellis ranks 10th in the nation and tied for second in the Ohio Valley Conference in home runs. She is also ninth nationally in home runs per game (.42).
Ellis Ties Own Single-Season Record
Ashley Ellis tied her own single-season record of 17 home runs when she hit a grand slam in the first inning of Southeast Missouri's 8-0 victory over UT Martin (May 5). Ellis initially broke her program's all-time single-season record with 17 homers in 2019. The grand slam was the second of Ellis' career.
Anderson Gets Another Record
Rachel Anderson broke her fifth different Southeast Missouri career record this season when she passed Sarah Messex (216, 2016-19) for the all-time mark in games started. Anderson has never missed a start in her 227 career games and established the new record against Eastern Kentucky on Apr. 17. She is the school's all-time career leader in triples (31), batting average (.411), slugging percentage (.700), on-base percentage (.503), hits (271), walks (108), total bases (461) and runs scored (171). Anderson also claimed SEMO's career records in hits, walks, total bases and runs scored in 2021.
RBI Leaders
Ashley Ellis and Rachel Anderson currently rank first and second on Southeast Missouri's all-time career RBI list. Ellis has 166 RBI and Anderson is close behind with 159. Ellis has a team-best 44 RBI and ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference in that category this season.
28 Wins
The Redhawks picked up their 28th win of the season when they beat Jacksonville State, 3-2, on May 8. Southeast Missouri (28-15) is one of two teams in the Ohio Valley Conference with 28 or more wins this season along with Eastern Kentucky (32-15). Two more victories will give SEMO its third-straight 30-win season and 18th all-time in program history.
Shut Them Out
Southeast Missouri has been involved in 14 shutouts this season and is 12-2 in those contests. SEMO blanked its opponent in eight of the last 22 games outscoring opponents by a combined 52-0 in those victories.
RPI Update
The Redhawks are tied for 57th in NCAA Division I Softball RPI (through games May 9). Southeast Missouri has the highest RPI of any softball team in the Ohio Valley Conference. Eastern Kentucky (72) and Austin Peay (86) are the next closest OVC schools. The Redhawks share that spot with Southern Illinois, a team they beat on Mar. 31.
Seventh Shutout
Rachel Rook tossed her Ohio Valley Conference leading seventh shutout of the season vs. Murray State (May 1). Rook tossed a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts in the series opener against the Racers. She currently ranks ninth among Southeast Missouri's all-time career leaders with 12 shutouts. Additionally, Rook rates 11th in the nation in shutouts this year.
League Play
Southeast Missouri led the league in batting average (.324), ERA (1.97), slugging percentage (.536), on-base percentage (.403), runs scored (165), RBI (153), hits (256) and total bases (423) in Ohio Valley Conference games this season. Ashley Ellis was first with 15 home runs and 37 RBI in 29 conference games. Rachel Rook paved the way with 122 strikeouts (8.1 per game), 14 wins and six shutouts. Jillian Anderson tied for second in doubles (10) and Rook topped the conference with a .172 opposing batting average in league games.
All 43 Games
Two players, including Rachel Anderson and Ashley Ellis have started all 43 games this season. Anderson is third on the team in batting average (.366) and leads the Redhawks in hits (45), runs (28) and on-base percentage (.480). Ellis tops the team with 17 home runs, 44 RBI and a .752 slugging percentage.
Over .300
Four of Southeast Missouri's starters are hitting over .300 this season and two of them are freshmen. Kynzie Wrigley (.368) leads the Redhawks, while fellow rookie Katie Dreiling (.367) is close behind. Senior Rachel Anderson (.368) is third on the team and senior Ashley Ellis (.306) is fifth.
Home Run Power
Ashley Ellis homered 12 times in her last 18 games of 2021. Ellis hit two home runs vs. Morehead State (Mar. 27), Eastern Illinois (Apr. 2) and Murray State (May 2) during that stretch. Seventeen of her 37 hits have come on the long ball this season.
First to 100 Strikeouts
Rachel Rook became the first pitcher in the Ohio Valley Conference to get to 100 strikeouts this season. Rook leads the league and ranks 26th in the nation with 174 strikeouts. She is one of five OVC pitchers with over 100 Ks this year.
Putting Up the Runs
Southeast Missouri scored 165 runs for an average of 5.7 per game in 29 Ohio Valley Conference contests this season. The Redhawks 165 runs in league games led the league. SEMO outscored its opponents by a +100 (165-65) margin. SEMO also hit 37 home runs during that span which ranked second in OVC games.
Rook Wins
Rachel Rook picked up her 18th win of the season when she beat Jacksonville State on May 8. Rook, who holds a record of 18-8, leads the Ohio Valley Conference in wins. She has also thrown 12 complete games and seven shutouts this season. Rook is 14-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play and ranks 11th in the nation in shutouts. Her 18 wins in 2021 are the most in a season during Rook's career.
Ellis Passes 200 Career Starts
Ashley Ellis joined Rachel Anderson with over 200 career starts in a Redhawk uniform. Ellis has 224 starts to date. She carries a streak of 207 consecutive starts into this week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Ellis is second all-time in career starts at Southeast Missouri.
Home Run Fun
Southeast Missouri hit a home run in 13 of its last 23 contests. The Redhawks had multiple home runs a total of 16 times this year. Nine different players have homered for SEMO this season. The Redhawks are second in the Ohio Valley Conference with 46 home runs through 43 games. They are one of three OVC teams with 40 or more home runs this season. Eastern Illinois (56) and Eastern Kentucky (41) are the others. SEMO's 46 home runs rank third-most in a season in program history.
Celebrating 200 Starts
Rachel Anderson's 200th career start in center field came on Mar. 13, the day Southeast Missouri completed its sweep of Tennessee Tech. Anderson, who has never missed a start in her career, has a total of 227. She became the sixth player in program history to start over 200 career games. Anderson is the school's all-time career leaders in games started.
10 or More Hits
Southeast Missouri pounded out 10 or more hits a total of 15 times this season and is 12-3 in those contests. The Redhawks finished with a season-high 15 hits at SIU Edwardsville (Apr. 10).
