Valparaiso (5-3) vs. Southeast Missouri (10-1)

Series Information
Dates: Friday-Sunday, March 11-13, 2022
Series Schedule: Friday - 3 p.m.; Saturday - 2 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Facility: Capaha Field (2,000)
Series: SEMO leads, 6-2 
Last Meeting: SEMO 8, VALPO 7 (Mar. 20, 2010 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Andy Sawyers (215-144 overall; 128-119 at SEMO; 65-55 OVC). Brian Schmack (156-236 overall; 156-236 at VALPO).

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

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday - Trent Turzenski, RHP (VALPO) / Jason Rackers, RHP (SEMO)
Saturday - Collin Fields, RHP (VALPO) / Noah Niznik, LHP (SEMO)
Sunday - Jake Miller, LHP (VALPO) / Tommy Windt, RHP (SEMO)

Redhawks Host Valparaiso 
Southeast Missouri (10-1) plays host to its second-straight Missouri Valley Conference member when Valparaiso (5-3) visits Cape Girardeau for a three-game series this weekend. First pitch of the series is 3 p.m., CT Friday at Capaha Field.

Follow the Redhawks
Listen live on the radio at ESPN 93.5 FM and 1220 AM. Erik Sean will call the action. Live stats can be accessed online at SEMORedhawks. Twitter updates available @SEMOBaseball.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Valparaiso meet for the first time in over a decade. These teams faced each other a total of eight times with SEMO holding a 6-2 advantage in the all-time series. SEMO and Valpo's last met for a three-game series in Cape Girardeau on Mar. 19-20, 2010. The Redhawks swept the series by scores of 17-4, 5-3, and 8-7.

Best Start in Division I Era
At 10-1, the Redhawks are off to their best start in their NCAA Division I era. Southeast Missouri moved to the D-I ranks in 1992. Overall, the start is SEMO's best since both the 1983 and 1976 teams put together 10-1 records. The Redhawks' best start in program history is 13-0 by the 1973 club.

Top-50 RPI
Southeast Missouri currently ranks among the Top-50 in RPI this season. SEMO is 49th as the highest ranked Ohio Valley Conference team in that category. The RPI ranking is the best in six years under Head Coach Andy Sawyers. Prior to 2022, SEMO rated 87th in RPI during the 2021 campaign. The Redhawks other RPI rankings with Sawyers at the helm include 136th (2017), 200th (2018, 2020) and 259th (2019).

Eight in a Row
The Redhawks are on an eight-game winning streak, presently the longest in the Ohio Valley Conference. The eight-game winning streak is SEMO's longest since it won 11 in a row (Mar. 18-Apr. 5) during the 2016 campaign.

Against the Missouri Valley
Southeast Missouri has faced all eight Missouri Valley Conference baseball schools in its program history. The Redhawka re 52-82 all-time against MVC teams in their NCAA Division I era. Valparaiso is the third of six MVC schools SEMO will face in 2022. The Redhawks are currently 5-1 against the MVC after winning two of three at then-#22 Dallas Baptist (Feb. 18-20) and sweeping Bradley (Mar. 4-5). SEMO also has Missouri State, Indiana State and regional-rival Southern Illinois on its schedule.

10th Win
With its 14-6 road win at Sun Belt Conference member Arkansas State (Mar. 8), the Redhawks picked up their 10th victory of the season. Southeast Missouri became the third Ohio Valley Conference team to get to 10 wins this year joining Tennessee Tech (10-1) and Belmont (11-3). Currently, the three 10-win OVC teams are a combined 31-5. SEMO's climb to 10 wins came 12 days sooner than it did a year ago. In 2021, the Redhawks earned their 10th victory on Mar. 20.

Get Out the Brooms!
Southeast Missouri posted its second series sweep of the season when it beat Missouri Valley Conference affiliate Bradley (Mar. 4-5). SEMO also won three games in its first-ever meeting with Atlantic Sun member Bellarmine (Feb. 26-27). The series sweep against Bellarmine was the Redhawks first since they won four games against Ohio on Feb. 28-Mar. 1, 2020. If SEMO sweeps Valparaiso this weekend, it will mark the first time the Redhawks completed three-straight series sweeps in six years. SEMO last accomplished the feat in 2016 (Morehead State, UT Martin, SIU Edwardsville).

Series Wins
The Redhawks claimed their 10th-straight series win -- dating back to the start of April, 2021 -- when they swept Bradley, 16-7, 11-8, 12-5, on Mar. 4-5 in Cape Girardeau. Southeast Missouri has not lost a series since Mar. 26-27, 2021 (at Eastern Illinois). The Redhawks claimed 16 of 17 series wins going back to their COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Scoring Leader
Southeast Missouri scored 91 runs in its last seven games and outscored its opponents by a +50 margin (91-41) in that stretch. SEMO enters the weekend as the Ohio Valley Conference leader with 117 runs scored (10.6 per game). The Redhawks also rank fifth in the nation in scoring (10.6 runs per game).. 

Seeing Double
The Redhawks scored double-digit runs in seven-straight games for the first time in program history. Southeast Missouri beat its last seven opponents by scores of 14-6, 12-5, 11-6, 16-7, 16-5, 12-8 and 10-2.

Power Outage
Southeast Missouri hit 22 home runs this season, 15 more than it did through its first 11 games of 2021. SEMO hit nine home runs in its series against Bradley (Mar. 4-5). The Redhawks became the third team to 20 home runs in the Ohio Valley Conference, joining SIU Edwardsville (25) and Tennessee Tech (21). Tyler Wilber and Jevon Mason lead SEMO with four round-trippers apiece, while Andrew Keck and newcomer Joel Vaske follow close behind with three each. Eight different Redhawks have homered in 2022. The Redhawks second in the OVC and 12th in the nation in home runs. Additionally, SEMO has homered in 10-straight games.

Streaks Intact
Tyler Wilber is on a nine-game hitting streak, while Brett Graber and Jevon Mason have hit safely in eight-straight contests.  Mason, Peyton Leeper, Lincoln Andrews and Graber have reached base in all 11 games this year. 

Approaching 200 Hits
Tyler Wilber is three hits away from reaching 200 in his career. Wilber has 197 hits and will look to extend his nine-game hitting streak this weekend.

One More to 150
Andrew Keck is one hit away from reaching 150 in his career. Keck leads the Redhawks with 21 hits and is hitting a team-high .412 entering this weekend's series against Valparaiso. When hs accomplishes the feat, he will be the second player on this year's team with 150 or more career hits, joining Tyler Wilber (197).  

NCAA Division I Rankings
The Redhawks rank among the top 13 NCAA Division I teams in six statistical categories. Southeast Missouri is fifth in scoring (10.6 runs per game), seventh in home runs per game (2.0), third in walks (88), eighth in home runs (22) and 11th in slugging percentage (.551) and 10th in win-loss percentage (.909). Individually, Peyton Leeper rates third nationally in walks (16), second in walks per game (1.4), ninth in runs (19) and fourth in runs per game (1.7), Andrew Keck is sixth in RBI (21), 18th in hits per game (1.9) and fifth in RBI per game (1.9), Tyler Wilber ranks seventh in RBI (1.8), Jevon Mason is 16th in walks (13), ninth in runs (19), fourth in runs per game (4), 15th in walks per game (1.1),  and 16th in triples (2), and Bryce Grossius leads the nation in starts (4) and Noah Niznik is 16th in starts (3).

Leading the OVC
As a team, Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in RBI (109), runs (117), walks (88) and batters struck out looking (32). SEMO is also second in the league in batting average (.298), slugging percentage (.551), on-base percentage (.453), doubles (30), home runs (22), total bases (218) and total plate appearances (501). 

Stealing the Show
Andrew Keck is a perfect 4-of-4 on the basepaths this season. Keck needs one more stolen base to crack Southeast Missouri's all-time top-10 career leaders. He has 38 stolen bases and Lance Craft (1996-97) holds the 10th-place spot on that list with 39.

Midweek Games
Southeast Missouri scored in every inning en route to blowing out Saint Louis, 16-5, in its first midweek game of the season on Mar. 1. SEMO established season-highs in runs (16) and hits (16) against the Billikens. SEMO improved to 2-0 in the midweek after beating Ariansas State (Mar. 8), 14-6, on the road.

Graber Goes Off
Outfielder Brett Graber hit a series best .455 with three runs, two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in Southeast Missouri's three-game set vs. Bradley (Mar. 4-5). Graber went 5-for-11 at the plate. He also walked twice, boasted a 1.182 slugging percentage and finished with a .538 on-base percentage against the Braves. 

Double-Digit Hits
Southeast Missouri registered double-digit hits in eight of its first 11 games. SEMO is undefeated at 8-0 in games where it gets 10 or more hits. It finished with a season-high 16 hits vs. Saint Louis (Mar. 1).

RBI Guys
Andrew Keck and Tyler Wilber are first and second in the Ohio Valley Conference with 21 and 20 RBI, respectively. Linoln Adrews is tied for fourth among the league's RBI leaders with 15.

Huge Week for Keck
Andrew Keck hit safely in three of Southeast Missouri's four wins last week. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Keck opened the week by going 4-for-5 with a double, grand slam, career-high four runs and career-best seven RBI vs. Saint Louis (Mar. 1). The grand slam was Keck's second of the season that came in a three-day span. He also went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI vs. Bradley (Mar. 5) after finishing with two hits and two RBI the day before against the Braves. SEMO swept BU for its second series sweep of the season. For the week, Keck hit .563 (9-for-16) with nine runs, a double, grand slam, 11 RBI, three stolen bases and three walks. He boasted a .813 slugging percentage and .600 on-base percentage, as well. 

Career Day for Keck
Catcher Andrew Keck went 4-for-5 with a grand slam, double, two singles, four runs scored, two stolen bases and seven RBI to lead Southeast Missouri to its win over Saint Louis (Mar. 1). Keck hit safely in each of his first three at-bats. His four runs and seven RBI are new career-highs, while his four hits match a career-best. Keck leads the team with a .412 batting average.

Grand Slamming
Andrew Keck hit his second grand slam in three days against Saint Louis (Mar. 1). Keck launched his team-high third home run of the season over the left field wall in the bottom of the sixth inning. He smashed his first career grand slam to help send Southeast Missouri to a 10-2 win over Bellarmine (Feb. 27). That round-tripper came in the bottom of the first inning against the Knights.

Mason Plays Strong
Leadoff man Jevon Mason is Southeast Missouri's second-leading hitter with a .356 batting average. Mason has accumulated 19 runs, 16 hits, three doubles, two triples, four home runs, 13 RBI, 13 walks and four stolen bases through 11 starts.

Walk-Off Win
First baseman Lincoln Andrews snapped a 7-7 tie with a leadoff walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Southeast Missouri an 8-7 come-from-behind win in its series-opener vs. Bellarmine (Feb. 26). The walk-off hit is the first of Andrews' career. 

Over .300
Southeast Missouri has four players hitting over .300 through 11 games this season. Andrew Keck leads the team with a .412 clip, while Jevon Mason (.356), Brett Graber (.341) and Lincoln Andrews (.306). Those four players have combined for 47 percent of the Redhawks scoring output.

Walk This Way
Southeast Missouri players hold the top four spots among Ohio Valley Conference individuals in walks. Peyton Leeper (16), Jevon Mason (13), Tyler Wilber (12) and Brett Graber (11) are responsible for 52 of SEMO's league-leading 88 bases on balls. The Redhawks are third in the nation in walks.

Windt Wins
In his first career NCAA Division I start, right-hander Tommy Windt struck out three and did not allow a walk in two innings to beat Saint Louis (Mar. 1), Southeast Missouri's first midweek tilt of the season. Windt then came out of the bullpen to strike out four and pitch 3.2 scoreless, no-hit innings en route to a win vs. Bradley (Mar. 5). In two appearances last week, Windt went 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA, struck out seven, walked two and allowed just two runs on two hits in 5.2 innings. Opposing teams hit only .111 against him in those games. Windt will make his first weekend start in Sunday's game against Valparaiso.

Rotation Switch
Two newcomers will be in Southeast Missouri's weekend pitching rotation vs. Valparaiso. Right-hander Jason Rackers will take the mound for his first game one start and fellow right-hander Tommy Windt will start game three. Rackers, a transfer from the University of Tennessee, made his first start as a Redhawk in game two of SEMO's series vs. Bradley (Mar. 5). He struck out six, walked three and allowed seven runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of a seven-inning contest en route to his first win of the season. Rackers and Windt are tied for first on the team with 15 strikeouts.

Early and Often
Southeast Missouri has jumped on oppoents early through its first 11 games this season. In the first three innings alone, SEMO has scored a combined 56 runs, including 20 in the first, 12 in the second and 24 in the third. Forty-seven percent of the Redhawks run production has come in the first three innings of play. SEMO is outscoring opponents 56-37 in that span. 

What a Weekend!
The Redhawks used a pair of extra inning victories to win their season-opening series on the road at #22 Dallas Baptist (Feb. 18-20). Southeast Missouri stunned the Patriots with 7-6 win in 12 innings on Feb. 18, a game that lasted four-and-a-half-hours. In less than 24 hours, the Redhawks turned around to come-from-behind and beat DBU, 6-5, in 10 innings during another one-run affair. SEMO claimed a series win against a ranked opponent for only the second time in program history. The Redhawks also took two of three at then-#16 Alabama to open the 2009 campaign.

Undefeated at Home
Southeast Missouri is undefeated with a 7-0 record at Capaha Field this season. SEMO won nine of its last 10 matchups on its home diamond dating back to the 2021 campaign. The Redhawks are 78-41 at home under Head Coach Andy Sawyers. The most home victories in a season by Sawyers coached team presently stand at 18 in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, his first two years as SEMO's skipper. The Redhawks, Tennessee Tech (6-0), Murray State (8-0) and SIU Edwardsville (4-0) are the four Ohio Valley Conference teams without a home loss this year.

Miller Named OVC Pitcher of the Week
Southeast Missouri sophomore right-hander Kyle Miller won the first Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week award of the 2022 season on Feb. 21.  Miller picked up his first win of the season at #22 Dallas Baptist on Feb. 18. He came out of the bullpen to toss six scoreless innings to help lead the Redhawks to a 12-inning one-run upset of the nationally-ranked Patriots. Miller struck out four, walked two and allowed only three hits in his first appearance of the year as SEMO posted a series win against a ranked opponent for only the second time in program history.

Season 64
The 2022 campaign marks Southeast Missouri's 64th year of college baseball. The Redhawks are in their 31st season as an NCAA Division I program. SEMO is 1,404-1,140 all-time and 870-753-1 at the NCAA Division I level since the inception of its baseball program. The Redhawks have a 432-294-1 record in Ohio Valley Conference play. SEMO won five OVC regular-season titles (2002, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021), four OVC Tournament crowns (1998, 2002, 2016, 2021) and made four NCAA Tournament appearances (1998, 2002, 2016, 2021) in program history.

OVC Preseason Favorite
Southeast Missouri was tabbed the preseason favorite in the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Preseason Poll on Feb. 10. The reigning OVC regular-season and tournament champion, SEMO received eight of the possible 18 first-place nods in the overall voting by league Head Coaches and Communication Directors. SEMO accumulated a total of 114 points, while Murray State – which the Redhawks beat to win the OVC Tournament crown in 2021 – was picked second with four first-place votes and 104 points. Morehead State (93 pts.), Austin Peay (87 pts.) and Belmont (86 pts.) round out the top five, while SIU Edwardsville (55 pts.), Eastern Illinois (50 pts.), Tennessee Tech (43 pts.) and UT Martin (16 pts.) complete the nine-team predicted order of finish. 

Wilber Named OVC Preseason Player of the Year
Senior shortstop Tyler Wilber was voted the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year. A native of Los Alamitos, California, Wilber started all 52 games last season. A Second-Team All-OVC pick, he was Southeast Missouri's leading hitter witha .378 batting average. Wilber also led the Redhawks in RBI (49), total bases (109), slugging percentage (.542), and hits (76). He finished the regular-season with a league-best .400 batting average. Additionally, Wilber was a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award.

Batting Titles
Tyler Wilber won the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season batting title twice in his career to date. Wilber was hitting .400 at the end of regular-season play in 2021 and hit .383 during the 2019 campaign. 

What a Career!
Tyler Wilber is in his fourth-year as Southeast Missouri's starting shortstop. Wilber has a career batting average of .376. His batting average is the second-highest in a career among players in SEMO's NCAA Division I era behind Todd Shylanski (.387, 1991-92). Wilber ranks fourth all-time among the Redhawks career leaders in batting average and sixth in on-base percentage (.467). He has 197 hits, 116 runs, 42 doubles, six triples, 15 home runs and 121 RBI in 135 starts. 

Mason Secures Preseason All-OVC Honors
Left fielder Jevon Mason joined Tyler Wilber on this year's Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Team. Mason, who hails from West Des Moines, Iowa, made the league's All-Tournament Team in his first year as a Redhawk in 2021. He ranked second on the team with a .350 batting average behind Wilber. Mason led Southeast Missouri with 14 doubles and boasted a team-best .447 on-base percentage.  

135 and Counting
Tyler Wilber has never missed a start in his Southeast Missouri career. The shortstop has started 135 consecutive games as the most experienced player on the roster. Wilber committed only nine errors in 52 starts at short in 2021.

From Walk-On to Scholarship
What a rookie season right-hander Kyle Miller had for Southeast Missouri in 2021. Miller, who joined the team as a walk-on, compiled a 4-2 record in 20 appearances and five starts. He rated third on the team with 52 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. Miller picked up his first career save on six outs in the Redhawks season-opening win at South Alabama a year ago and then finished his freshman year by throwing a complete game two-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the Redhawks Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship win over Murray State. Miller begins his 2022 campaign as a scholarship player.