Southeast Missouri (13-1) at Indiana State (7-6)

Series Information
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday, March 15-16, 2022
Series Schedule: Tuesday - 2 p.m.; Wednesday - 2 p.m., CT
Location: Terre Haute, Ind.
Facility: Bob Warn Field (2,000)
Series: ISU leads, 5-0
Last Meeting: ISU 8. SEMO 7 (May 10, 2015 | Terre Haute, Ind.)
Head Coaches: Andy Sawyers (218-144 overall; 131-119 at SEMO; 65-55 OVC). Mitch Hannahs (247-166 overall; 247-166 at ISU).

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

Probable Starting Pitchers
Tuesday - TBA (SEMO) / Jake Ridgway, RHP (ISU)
Wednesday - TBA (SEMO) / TBA (ISU)

Redhawks Travel to Indiana State 
Ohio Valley Conference leader Southeast Missouri (13-1) starts its spring break with a two-game midweek series at Indiana State (7-6). The Redhawks and Sycamores play Tuesday and Wednesday at Bob Warn Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m., CT both days.

Follow the Redhawks
Watch both games of this week's series at Indiana State on ESPN+. 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 GoSycamores.com. Twitter updates available @SEMOBaseball.

Series History
Tuesday marks the sixth time Southeast Missouri and Indiana State square off. ISU holds a 5-0 record in the all-time series between the teams. SEMO played the Sycamores twice in 2006 (Cape Girardeau) and three times in 2015 (Terre Haute). All three of the Redhawks losses to ISU in 2015 were by a run.

Best Start in Division I Era
At 13-1, the Redhawks are off to their best start in their NCAA Division I era. Southeast Missouri moved to the D-I ranks in 1992. One more win will give SEMO its best start in program history through the first 15 games of a season. Currently the Redhawks 13-1 start is tied with the 1973 team, which also won 13 of its first 14 contests.

Top-20 RPI
With four more wins last week, Southeast Missouri moved into the Top-20 in RPI. SEMO enters the week ranked 19th after being previously rated 45th. SEMO is the only Ohio Valley Conference school among the top 20 teams in the nation in RPI. 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).

One or No Losses
The Redhawks are one of just eight teams in the country with one or no losses this season. Here is the list of one or no loss teams in NCAA Division I baseball thus far.
Purdue (Big Ten), 14-0
Mercer (SoCon), 15-1
Tennessee (SEC), 15-1
Virginia (ACC), 14-1
Clemson (ACC), 14-1
Old Dominion (C-USA), 13-1
Southeast Missouri (OVC), 13-1
Notre Dame (ACC), 11-1

Make it 11 in a Row
The Redhawks are on an 11-game winning streak, presently the longest in the Ohio Valley Conference. The 11-game winning streak is SEMO's longest since it won 11 in a row (Mar. 18-Apr. 5) during the 2016 campaign. The longest winning streak of the Redhawks NCAA Division I era stands at 14 games in 2003 (Mar. 12-Apr. 12).

Where it Stands
Southeast Missouri's 11-game winning streak ranks third in the nation behind Purdue (14-0, 15 games) and Vanderbilt (13-2, 12 games). Only four teams in NCAA Division I baseball are on 10 or more game winning streaks as of Mar. 14. Old Dominion (13-1, 10 games) is the other.

Another Series Sweep
The Redhawks have swept in three of their first four series this season. Southeast Missouri posted three-straight series sweeps vs. Bellarmine (Feb. 26), Bradley (Mar. 4-5) and Valparaiso (Mar. 12-13). All of those came at Capaha Field. The last time SEMO completed three-straight series sweeps was in 2016 (Morehead State, UT Martin, SIU Edwardsville). The three series sweeps are tied for most in a season under Head Coach Andy Sawyers. SEMO also had three sweeps in 2017 and 2018.In all, the Redhawks have 11 series sweeps with Sawyers at the helm. SEMO did not sweep one opponent during its 2021 season.

Series Wins
The Redhawks claimed their 11th-straight series win -- dating back to the start of April, 2021 -- when they swept Valparaiso, 9-1, 16-6, 10-8, on Mar. 12-13 in Cape Girardeau. Southeast Missouri has not lost a series since Mar. 26-27, 2021 (at Eastern Illinois). The Redhawks claimed 17 of 18 series wins going back to their COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Perfect at Home
Southeast Missouri is undefeated at home with a 10-0 record this season. SEMO won 12 of its last 13 matchups at Capaha Field dating back to the 2021 campaign. The Redhawks are 81-41 at home under Head Coach Andy Sawyers. The most home victories by a Sawyers coached team stands at 18 in both 2017 and 2018, his first two years as SEMO's skipper. The Redhawks last won their first 10 home games in a season during the 2000 campaign. That team went undefeated through its first 12 home matchups. This year marks SEMO's first 10-game home winning streak in six years. The 2016 club won 13 in a row at home.

Yard Work
The Redhawks lead the Ohio Valley Conference with 32 home runs through 14 games this season for an average of over two (2.28) per game. Southeast Missouri has homered in 13 consecutive games and recently hit a hit a series-best 10 round-trippers vs. Valparaiso (Mar. 12-13). SEMO finished with a season-high five home runs in two games -- vs. Bradley (Mar. 4); vs. Valparaiso (Mar. 13). Twenty-one of the Redhawks home runs have come against Missouri Valley Conference teams. 

Single-Season Home Run Marks
With its 32 home runs already this season, Southeast Missouri is six away from surpassing its total of 37 in 52 games a year ago. The single-season school record during SEMO's NCAA Division I era is 92 home runs in 2000. The most home runs hit in a season under Head Coach Andy Sawyers stand at 54 by his first SEMO team in 2017. Here are the Redhawks top-five single-season home run marks since they turned Division I in 1991-92.
92 home runs -- 2000
90 home runs -- 1998
76 home runs -- 2010
71 home runs -- 2009
70 home runs -- 2003

Great Work Williams
Right-hander Austin Williams picked up his first two wins of the season out of the bullpen for Southeast Missouri last week. Williams struck out four, walked none and allowed just one hit in 3.1 scoreless innings to get his first win at Arkansas State (Mar. 8). He then struck out a career-high seven in the longest outing of his career (five innings) to beat Valparaiso (Mar. 13). Williams retired seven-straight Valpo hitters exiting the game in the ninth. For the week, he went 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA, allowed just one run, scattered four hits, struck out 11 and walked one in two relief appearances.

They Did That Twice?
In each of the final two games of its series against Valparaiso (Mar. 13), Southeast Missouri homered three times and scored six runs in an inning. SEMO trailed, 6-3, in game one before Peyton Leeper, Tyler Wilber and Lincoln Andrews homered in the bottom of the fourth. That six-run inning lifted the Redhawks to a 16-6 win as SEMO scored the final 13 runs of the game. In game two, the Redhawks were down, 3-0, when Jevon Mason, Wilber and Brett Graber homered as part of a six-run third inning. SEMO later won that contest by a score of 10-8. The Redhawks fell behind in the first inning during every game against Valparaiso before sweeping the series with three come-from-behind victories.

Against the Missouri Valley
Southeast Missouri has faced all eight Missouri Valley Conference baseball schools in its program history. The Redhawka re 55-82 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 8-1 against the MVC after winning two of three at then-#22 Dallas Baptist (Feb. 18-20) and sweeping both Bradley (Mar. 4-5) and Valparaiso (Mar. 12-13). SEMO faces both Indiana State and Missouri State this week, and also has regional-rival Southern Illinois on this year's schedule. SEMO is on a six-game winning streak against MVC teams.

Quick to 10 Wins
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 and Belmont. 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.

Atop the OVC
As a team, Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in slugging percentage (.584), on-base percentage (.442), runs (152), RBI (142), home runs (32), total bases (294), walks (106) and wins (13). Individually, Peyton Leeper and Jevon Mason are tied for first in  runs (25) and walks (17), Tyler Wilber is first in RBI (27) and Kyle Miller tops the league in opposing batting average (.176) and fewest hits allowed (9). 

Seeing Double
The Redhawks scored double-digit runs in nine of their last 10 games. Southeast Missouri scored 10 or more runs in seven consecutive games for the first time in program history from Feb. 27-Mar. 8. In the nine games where it scored double-digit runs, SEMO outscored opponents by a staggering +62 margin (117-55).

Power Outage
Eight different players have homered for Southeast Missouri this season. Tyler Wilber leads the Redhawks with seven home runs, while Jevon Mason and Peyton Leeper follow with five apiece. Andrew Keck has four and Brett Graber, Joel Vaske and Lincoln Andrews each have three. Ty Stauss completes the group with two round-trippers.

Streaks Intact
Brett Graber and Jevon Mason are each on 11-game hitting streaks entering this week's action. Both of those streaks started on Feb. 26. Meanwhile Peyton Leeper, Graber and Mason have reached base in all 14 games, while Andrew Keck reached base in his last 11 contests.

Leeper Tabbed OVC Player of the Week
Southeast Missouri utility player Peyton Leeper won Southeast Missouri's first Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honor of the 2022 season on Mar. 14. A native of Mokane, Missouri, Leeper homered in all four of his starts last week helping the Redhawks extend their winning streak to 11 games. He broke SEMO's series-opener against Valparaiso (Mar. 12) open with a grand slam, the first of his career. Leeper then homered in both games of the series-ending doubleheader against the Beacons the following day. His second round-tripper that day was a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning during the nightcap. Leeper's other home run for the week came in a midweek matchup at Arkansas State (Mar. 8). In the Valparaiso series alone, Leeper finished with three home runs, six runs scored and nine RBI. For the week, he hit .353 with four of his six hits coming via the long ball. He scored nine times, had 10 RBI, boasted a 1.059 slugging percentage, recorded a .500 on-base percentage and was a perfect 3-of-3 in stolen bases. Leeper carries a six-game hitting streak into this week's action. Leeper won the award for the first time in his career. UT Martin right-hander Rhett Fetner (Pitcher of the Week) rounded out the week's honorees.

Wilber Clears 200 Hits
Tyler Wilber went over 200 career hits in the Redhawks series sweep of Valparaiso (Mar. 12-13). Wilber hit a team-high .500 in the series. He had four runs, six hits, three home runs, seven RBI and a 1.250 slugging percentage against the Beacons. Wilber got his 200th career hit on a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning during game two of the series. He now has 203 hits in his career.

Over 150
Andrew Keck surpassed 150 hits in his career against Valparaiso (Mar. 12-13). Keck hit .357 with a run scored, home run and two RBI against the Beacons. He is SEMO's top hitter with a .400 batting average and is the second player on this year's team to reach 150 or more hits joining Tyler Wilber (203).

NCAA Division I Rankings
As of games through Mar. 10, the Redhawks ranked among the top 13 NCAA Division I teams in six statistical categories. This week's NCAA rankings were not available at the time of this notes package. Southeast Missouri is fourth in scoring (10.6 runs per game), sixth in home runs per game (2.0), fifth in walks (88), eighth in home runs (22), 10th 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).

Stealing the Show
Andrew Keck is a perfect 5-of-5 on the basepaths this season. Keck has 39 stolen bases and is now tied for 10th with Lance Craft (1996-97) on Southeast Missouri's all-time career stolen base list.

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.

Double-Digit Hits
Southeast Missouri registered double-digit hits in 10 of its first 14 games. SEMO is undefeated at 10-0 in games where it gets 10 or more hits. It finished with a season-high 16 hits vs. Saint Louis (Mar. 1) and Valparaiso (Mar. 13).

RBI Guys
Tyler Wilber and Andrew Keck are first and second in the Ohio Valley Conference with 27 and 23 RBI, respectively. Jevon Mason is fifth (18) and Lincoln Andrews is tied for sixth (17) among league leaders in that category, as well.

Grand Slamming
Southeast Missouri hit three grand slams this season. Most recently, Peyton Leeper hit his first career grand slam vs. Valparaiso (Mar. 12). 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 third-leading hitter with a .351 batting average. Mason has accumulated 25 runs, 20 hits, five doubles, two triples, five home runs, 18 RBI, 17 walks and seven stolen bases through 41 starts.

Over .300
Southeast Missouri has five players hitting over .300 through 14 games this season. Andrew Keck leads the team with a .400 clip, while Brett Graber (.388), Jevon Mason (.351), Tyler Wilber (.333) and Peyton Leeper (.302) follow. Those five players have accounted for over 63 percent of the Redhawks scoring output.

Walk This Way
Southeast Missouri players hold the top three spots among Ohio Valley Conference individuals in walks. Peyton Leeper (17), Jevon Mason (17) and Tyler Wilber (15) occupy those places. Brett Graber (13) is tied for sixth on that list. Those four are responsible for  62 of SEMO's league-leading 106 bases on balls.

Early and Often
Southeast Missouri has jumped on oppoents early through its first 14 games this season. In the first four innings alone, SEMO has scored a combined 83 runs, including 22 in the first, 15 in the second, 31 in the third and 15 in the fourth. Fifth-four percent of the Redhawks run production has come in the first four innings of play. SEMO is outscoring opponents 83-53 in that span. 

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 1,407-1,140 all-time and 873-753-1 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.

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 .379. 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 203 hits, 120 runs, 42 doubles, six triples, 18 home runs and 128 RBI in 138 starts. 

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.

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.  

138 and Counting
Tyler Wilber has never missed a start in his Southeast Missouri career. The shortstop has started 138 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.