Southeast Missouri (24-19, 13-7 OVC) at SIUE (15-30, 6-16 OVC)

Dates: Saturday-Sunday, April 30-May 1, 2022
Series Schedule: 
Saturday - 4 p.m., CT
Sunday - 12 p.m., CT (DH)
Location:  Edwardsville, Ill.
Facility: Cougar Field
Series History: SIUE leads, 39-28
Last Meeting: SIUE 6, SEMO 5 (8 inn.) (Apr. 11, 2021 | Edwardsville, Ill.)
Head Coaches: Mark Redburn (203-166 at SEMO; 98-68 OVC). P.J. Finigan (15-30 at SIUE; 6-16 OVC).

Follow the Redhawks
Live Stats: SIUECougars.com Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Twitter: @SEMOSoftball
Series Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)

Redhawks Head to SIUE
Southeast Missouri (24-19, 13-7) travels to SIU Edwardsville (15-30, 6-16) for its final road series of the season this weekend. SEMO and SIUE will play a three-game series with a 4 p.m. single game Saturday and 12 p.m., CT doubleheader Sunday.

Follow the Redhawks
Live stats are available at SIUECougars.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOsoftball.

Series History
Southeast Missouri meets SIU Edwardsville for the 68th time when the teams open their series Saturday. SIUE leads the all-time series by a count of 39-28. The Redhawks won six of the last nine games of the series and posted series wins against the Cougars during two of the previous three years.

OVC Update
With its doubleheader sweep of UT Martin (Apr. 27), Southeast Missouri moved up one spot to third in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. SEMO is the only OVC team undefeated at home (11-0) this year. Belmont (17-5) and Murray State (16-6) are ahead of the Redhawks with two weeks of OVC play remaining. After this weekend's visit to SIUE, SEMO closes out the regular-season with a home series vs. Belmont (May 7-8).

April Stretch
The Redhawks are 8-6 in April and wrap up the month with five games this week. Southeast Missouri swept swept both Morehead State (Apr. 2-3) and Eastern Illinois (Apr. 9-10), and dropped two of three at both Austin Peay (Apr. 15-16) and Murray State (Apr. 23-24) in Ohio Valley Conference action this month. 

Redburn Reaches 200 SEMO Wins
After getting his 400th career win as a head coach earlier this season, Mark Redburn claimed his 200th career victory as Southeast Missouri's skipper when the Redhawks beat Austin Peay, 3-2, on Apr. 15. The reigning back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Redburn holds a 203-166 record in eight years at SEMO.

100th OVC Win in Sight
Mark Redburn needs just two more wins to reach 100 Ohio Valley Conference victories in his career. Redburn is 98-68 all-time in OVC games. That record includes a 53-18 (.746) mark since the start of the 2019 campaign.

Way to Battle
The Redhawks picked up a pair of hard fought one-run victories in a 4-3, 5-4, doubleheader sweep of UT Martin (Apr. 27). Southeast Missouri now has seven one-run wins this season. The Redhawks have been involved in a total of 13 one-run games.

Another Sweep for the Redhawks
The Redhawks recorded their fourth series sweep of the season when it took two from UT Martin (Apr. 27) in a doubleheader. Southeast Missouri also completed sweeps vs. Tennessee State (Mar. 19-20), Morehead State (Apr. 2-3) and Eastern Illinois (Apr. 9-10). All of those wins came in Cape Girardeau.

Career-High for Wrigley
Kynzie Wrigley established a new career-high with four RBI in Southeast Missouri's 5-4 win over UT Martin (Apr. 27). Wrigley went 2-for-3 at the plate with a game-tying two-RBI triple in the fourth inning and a game-winning two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. The triple was the first of Wrigley's career, as well.

Relief Role
Rachel Rook has pitched in relief during six of her last seven appearances. Rook's only start in that span was at Murray State (Apr. 24). She posted three wins and picked up a save since the beginning of the Austin Peay series on Apr. 15. Rook was credited with both victories in Southeast Missouri's doubleheader sweep of UT Martin (Apr. 27).

Rook Gets First Save
Rachel Rook came out of the bullpen to get her first save of the 2022 campaign against Murray State (Apr. 24). Rook entered the game when the Racers had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning and ended the threat. She struck out five and gave up just two hits in 2.1 scoreless innings. Rook is SEMO's all-time career leader with 11 saves.

Halliwill Claims First OVC Player of the Week Honor
Marshall University transfer Paige Halliwill claimed her first Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honor on Apr. 10. A native of Mogadore, Ohio, Halliwill hit .625 (5-for-8) with six runs scored, two home runs, seven RBI and one stolen base to lead Southeast Missouri to its series sweep of Eastern Illinois (Apr. 9-10). She recorded multiple hits in two of her three starts in the series. Halliwill homered in games one and three, and matched a career-high four RBI in the series finale. Defensively, she did not commit an error and made an outstanding highlight-reel catch to rob Kendall Fields of a home run in the series opener. Halliwill is the second SEMO player win the league's Player of the Week honor in as many weeks.

Davis Tosses First Shutout
Left-hander Marisa Davis pitched the first shutout of her career in an 8-0 victory over Eastern Illinois (Apr. 10). Davis went the distance and struck out a career-high seven in five innings. For the EIU series, she went 2-0 with 5.2 scoreless innings and no walks.

Anderson Named OVC Player of the Week
Southeast Missouri outfielder Kaylee Anderson won her first career Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honor on Apr. 4. A native of Warrenton, Missouri, Anderson hit .667 (6-for-9) with two grand slams, five runs scored and 10 RBI to lead SEMO to a series sweep of Morehead State (Apr. 2-3). She recorded two hits in all three games of the series and hit a grand slam in consecutive at-bats while finishing with a career-best eight RBI in game two. Anderson also boasted a 1.333 slugging percentage and .700 on-base percentage against the Eagles. UT Martin's Erin Gallagher (Pitcher of the Week) rounded out the week's honorees.

Walk it Off
The Redhawks came on strong in their final two games of the Morehead State series to earn back-to-back walk-off wins in five innings.  In game two, Southeast Missouri scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth and ended things with a walk-off grand slam by Kaylee Anderson. In game three, the Redhawks scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning again to polish off a 8-0 shutout. In all, SEMO has six run-rule victories in five innings this season. The Redhawks outscored their opponents, 69-14, in those contests. In last weekend's series vs. Eastern Illinois (Apr. 9-10), SEMO added three more walk-off wins, including two in five innings.

13 OVC Wins
Southeast Missouri (13-7) is tied for third in the Ohio Valley Conference with 13 league wins. SEMO, Austin Peay (13-9) and Tennessee Tech (13-9) all have 13 victories. Belmont (17-5) leads the conference and Murray State (16-6) is second in OVC wins.

Keep on Scoring
In Ohio Valley Conference play, Southeast Missouri is outscoring opponents by a +56 margin (103-47). SEMO is outscoring its foes by a combined 93-34 in the first five innings.

Anderson Moves to Fifth on SEMO's Home Run List
Kaylee Anderson is fifth on Southeast Missouri's all-time career home run list with 28. Anderson homered in each of the final two games of the Eastern Illinois series (Apr. 10) and leads the team with 10 round-trippers this year. She surpassed Lindsey Patterson (23, 2012-15) for the fifth-place spot.

Career Best Hitting Streak
Kaylee Anderson recently saw a career-best 11-game hitting streak end at #6 Arkansas (Apr. 12). Anderson has hit safely in 15 of her last 18 games.

Rook Reaches 50 Wins
Rachel Rook went 2-0 and did not allow a run in seven innings during two appearances and one start vs. Morehead State (Apr. 2-3). Rook registered 15 strikeouts and walked only two in that span. She also combined on a two-hit shutout with Paytience Holman in Southeast Missouri's series-opening win. Rook (54-28) became just the seventh pitcher in program history to get 50 or more career wins. She joined Tracie Eudaley (79, 1984-87), Debbie Schmelz (62, 1996-99), Alice Marler (59, 1990-92), Elaine Fischer (54, 2005-08), Chris Engelhardt (54, 1996-99) and Sara Reichert (51, 1994-97) on that list. Rook is tied for fourth in career wins at SEMO.

Seeing Double
Kynzie Wrigley doubled in all three of her at-bats in Southeast Missouri's 12-2 win over Morehead State (Apr. 3). Wrigley's three doubles marked a career-high. She is second on the team with nine doubles this season.

Rickermann Gets it Done
Abigail Rickermann has filled in nicely at shortstop after starter Alyson Tucker suffered a season-ending knee injury. Rickermann knocked in both game-winning runs in the final two games of Southeast Missouri's series vs. Eastern Illinois (Apr. 10). She scored Kynzie Wrigley on a sacrifice fly in game two and delivered a single to score Kelby Robinson in game three. 

Pulling Rank
Kaylee Anderson ranks sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .392 batting average through 43 games. Anderson also rates among OVC leaders in slugging percentage (2nd, .717). on-base percentage (4th, .459), runs (t9th, 33), hits (t13th, 47), RBI (9th, 33), home runs (t3rd, 10) and total bases (8th, 86). 

Home Sweet Home
Southeast Missouri is a perfect 11-0 at home. SEMO won its first 11 home games of a season for the first time under Head Coach Mark Redburn. It is the Redhawks best start at home since it began the 1997 campaign at 10-0.

Rook Breaks SEMO Career Strikeout Record
Rachel Rook broke Southeast Missouri's all-time career strikeout record during her team's series sweep of Tennessee State (Mar. 19-20). Entering the series, Rook needed 13 strikeouts to get the record. She recorded all of those in game one after giving up just two hits and walking two to go along with her 13 Ks in six innings. Rook, who now has 567 strikeouts, surpassed Elaine Fischer's previous record of 501 (2005-08).

Wrigley Earns Co-OVC Player of the Week Honors
Sophomore infielder Kynzie Wrigley was named Co-Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week on Mar. 21 earning the first OVC weekly honor of her career. Wrigley hit .400 (6-for-15) with nine runs scored, two doubles a pair of home runs and seven RBI to lead Southeast Missouri to a 5-1 record last week. Wrigley hit her first home run of the season at Kansas City (Mar. 15), where she went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. She also recorded two hits and two RBI vs. Tennessee State (Mar. 20), and hit her other home run, a three-run shot, vs. the Tigers. Additionally, Wrigley hit a leadoff double and scored the tying run in the top of the seventh inning during SEMO's come-from-behind win over Iowa (Mar. 15). SIU Edwardsville's Grace Lueke (Co-Player), Eastern Illinois' Alexa Remeier (Co-Pitcher) and Murray State's Hannah James (Co-Pitcher) rounded out the week's winners.

Home Run Update
Southeast Missouri hit 22 home runs in 20 Ohio Valley Conference games. SEMO hit nine home runs alone during its sweep of Tennessee State (Mar. 19-20). The Redhawks closed out the series with a season-best five round-trippers in the finale. SEMO unloaded to hit four home runs in the second inning to blow by the Tigers, 11-3, in game three. The Redhawks now have 31 home runs through 43 games this year. SEMO hit 37 home runs in 29 games against league foes a year ago.

Holman Tosses Shutout
Paytience Holman threw her first shutout of the season when she went the distance in a 6-0 victory over Tennessee State (Mar. 20). Holman recorded a season-high eight strikeouts and allowed five hits. She also did not give up a walk in her seven-inning gem. Holman tossed two shutouts this year.

Two-Home Run Games
Paige Halliwill and Kat Sackett, who were teammates at Marshall University before transferring to Southeast Missouri, each hit two home runs on the same day. In the Redhawks doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State (Mar. 20), Halliwill hit two bombs in game two and Sackett did the same prior to that in game one. Kaylee Anderson became the third Redhawk to hit two homers in a game when she had a pair of grand slams vs. Morehead State (Apr. 3). Anderson (10), Halliwill (7) and Sackett (2) combined for 19 of Southeast Missouri's 31 round-trippers this season.

Power Five Win
Down 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Kynzie Wrigley hit a leadoff double to rally Southeast Missouri to its come-from-behind win over Big Ten Conference member Iowa (Mar. 15). After Kaylee Anderson walked, Tori Bradley doubled down the left field line and Wrigley scored the tying run. After a pitching change, Anderson touched home on a wild pitch for the winning run. SEMO beat a Big Ten opponent for the first time in 21 years. Its last win over a Big Ten school was in 2001 (vs. Indiana).

Back-to-Back Champions
Preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorite and reigning back-to-back regular-season champion Southeast Missouri is 36-13 in league play since the start of the 2021 campaign. SEMO had a program record 23 conference wins in 2021 (23-6). The Redhawks posted 11 series wins against league opponents since the start of the 2021 campaign.

Grand Slamboree
Southeast Missouri has hit three grand slams this 2022 season. Center fielder Paige Halliwill hit her first career grand slam vs. Missouri State (Mar. 13). Kaylee Anderson then hit a grand slam in consecutive at-bats against Morehead State (Apr. 3).

800th NCAA Division I Win
Southeast Missouri picked up its 800th win as an NCAA Division I program when it beat Kansas City, 7-1, on Mar. 15. SEMO first moved to the Division I ranks in 1991-92. The Redhawks are 814-736-2 all-time as an NCAA Division I program.

Every Game Starters
Kaylee Anderson and Paige Halliwill have started all 43 games for Southeast Missouri this season. Anderson made 42 starts in right field and one as designated hitter. Halliwill started every game in center field. 

Rook Throws No-Hitter
Rachel Rook threw a no-hitter and struck out 12 to lead Southeast Missouri to a 6-0 win over Central Michigan (Feb. 18). At the time, Rook tossed the ninth non-combined no-hitter in NCAA Division I softball this season. She retired 20-straight prior to Shannon Stein's two-out walk in the top of the seventh inning. Stein was CMU's only baserunner of the game as Rook was perfect through 6.2 frames. She recorded the second-no-hitter of her career and first seven-inning no-hitter as a Redhawk.

OVC Pitcher of the Week
Rachel Rook was voted Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 21. A native of Republic, Missouri, Rook threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in Southeast Missouri's win over Central Michigan (Feb. 18). She tossed two complete games and struck out 25 in 19 innings en route to going 2-1 at the Western Kentucky Hilltopper Classic (Feb. 18-20).

Over 10 Strikeouts
Rachel Rook had double-digit strikeouts in five of her starts this season. Rook matched a career-high 15 vs. Nicholls (Feb. 13). She also had 12 strikeouts against both Alabama A&M (Feb. 11) and Central Michigan (Feb. 18), and 13 vs. Tennessee State (Mar. 19). Rook is second in the Ohio Valley Conference with 144 strikeouts through 27 appearances and 17 starts.

Roster Talk
Southeast Missouri has a 22-member roster predominantly full of underclassmen, including nine sophomores and eight freshmen. The Redhawks also have five returning position starters and two starting pitchers. Additionally, SEMO has a pair of veteran fifth-year seniors in reigning Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Rachel Rook and outfielder Kaylee Anderson, the Redhawks second-leading home run hitter last season.

First Inning Fun
Southeast Missouri is outscoring opponents 52-31 (+21) in the first inning through 43 games this season. SEMO put up seven or more runs in the first inning on three occasions.

OVC Preseason-Favorite
The reigning back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference Champion softball team is the preseason favorite in the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll. SEMO garnered 16 of the possible 20 first-place votes and accumulated 157 points in the overall voting by OVC Head Coaches and Communication Directors. Austin Peay (140 pts.), Murray State (121 pts.), Eastern Illinois (107 pts.) and UT Martin (107 pts.) rounded out the top five. SIU Edwardsville (82 pts.), Tennessee Tech (69 pts.), Belmont (63 pts.), Tennessee State (33 pts.) and Morehead State (21 pts.). SEMO is coming off a season where it went 30-17 overall en route to winning its second-straight and seventh overall OVC regular-season title. The Redhawks finished with a 23-6 record in league play with their 23 conference victories marking the most in program history. In the last two-plus seasons, SEMO put together an overall record of 121-60 and 55-18 mark in OVC play. Mark Redburn picked up his second OVC Coach of the Year accolade and Rachel Rook became only the second SEMO player in program history to win the league's coveted Pitcher of the Year honor. Rook returns for her final season in a Redhawk uniform after leading the OVC in wins (20), innings (163), strikeouts (196), shutouts (7) and opposing batting average (.191).

Team 46
The 2022 campaign is the 46th season of Southeast Missouri softball. SEMO's softball program has an all-time record of 1,174-859-3. The Redhawks are 814-736-2 all-time since moving to the NCAA Division I ranks in 1992. SEMO has accumulated eighteen 30-win seasons, two 40-win campaigns, seven Ohio Valley Conference regular-season titles, six OVC Tournament crowns and two NCAA Tournament berths in its program history.

30-Win Seasons
Southeast Missouri registered over 30 wins in each of its last three complete seasons. The Redhawks went 30-17 en route to winning their second-straight Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title in 2021 and finished with a 33-20 record and fourth-place finish in the OVC in 2018.. In 2019, SEMO set a program record in wins when it went 46-18 overall and won the OVC regular-season and tournament titles. The Redhawks also made the NCAA Tournament that year. SEMO has a total of 18 seasons with 30 or more wins in its program history.