Murray State (14-14, 3-3 MVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (16-14, 5-1 OVC)
 
Dates: Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Times: 5 p.m., CT. 
Location: Murray, Ky. 
Facility: Johnny Reagan Field 
Series: SEMO leads 70-60-1
Head Coaches: Andy Sawyers (258-181 overall; 171-154 at SEMO; 86-64 OVC). | Dan Skirka (111-101 overall; same at Murray State; 3-3 MVC)
 
 
Follow the Redhawks
Radio: ESPN 93.5 FM & 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: 
Twitter: @SEMObaseball
 
Redhawks Look to Make it Six In a Row Against Longtime Foe Murray State Tuesday
Southeast Missouri (16-14, 5-1 OVC) will get back to midweek action against longtime rival Murray State (14-14, 3-3 MVC) at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Ky. First pitch is slated for Tuesday evening at 5 p.m., CT. 
 
Follow the Redhawks
Listen live on the radio at ESPN 1220 AM and 93.5 FM. Erik Sean will call the action. Live stats are available at SEMORedhawks.com. Twitter updates will be provided @SEMObaseball.
 
Series History
The Redhawks and Racers meet up for the first time in 2023 for a non-conference matchup between the Ohio Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Conference. SEMO holds the all-time series lead 70-60-1 against the Racers. 
 
SEMO is in the midst of a four-game winning streak against MSU dating back to May 30, 2021 when the Redhawks won 10-1. 
 
The last time these two met came on April 10, 2023 as the Redhawks defeated Murray by a final score of 11-10 at Capaha Field. 
 
Over the Weekend        
The Redhawks picked up their third weekend series sweep against Little Rock beginning with a doubleheader Saturday April 1. LHP Noah Niznik tossed six complete innings en route to a 4-3 Redhawk victory. 
 
Niznik struck out six batters and surrendered just one run to pick up his third victory of the campaign. 
 
In game one, the offense was led by Brett Graber and Josh Cameron who each went 2-for-3 with an RBI, respectively. 
 
Chance Resetich was on fire in game two of the double header going 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs as the Redhawks used extra inningsto secure the game two victory. 
 
Designated hitter Carlos Aranda singled up the middle to deliver the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the 10th inning to give SEMO a 6-5 win. 
 
In Sunday's finale, the Redhawks offense exploded for 17 runs en route to a 17-6 eight inning victory.
 
 LHP Haden Dow (2-1) picked up his second victory of the campaign pitching five complete innings, striking out six. 
 
Lincoln Andrews, Brett Graber, and Peyton Leeper each recorded three RBIs in the contest.
 
Wear It!
Through 30 games, Redhawk batters have been hit 56 times by opposing pitchers. Carlos Aranda leads the team with 10 HBP. Josh Cameron has been hit eight times. 
 
Jevon Mason, Chance Resetich, and Peyton Leeper have each been hit six times so far this season. 
 
Resetich On Fire
In four games last week, infielder Chance Resetich went 11-for-18 including a double and two triples. Resetich hit .611 in the four game stretch, including a .889 slugging percentage and a .632 OBP. 
 
He also drove in and scored six runs himself.
 
Leeper Getting On 
Peyton Leeper drew two walks over last week's games. The shortstop now leads the team with 21 base-on-balls and leads the team with a .426 on-base percentage. 
 
Welcome Back Lincoln Andrews
First baseman Lincoln Andrews returned to the Redhawks lineup over the weekend after missing time with an injury. 
 
The lefty slugger hit .333 over the series against Little Rock including a bases-clearing double in Sunday's contest that blew the game wide open. Andrews finished the weekend with four RBIs and a double.
 
Southpaw Success
LHP Noah Niznik and Haden Dow are now one and two in ERA for the Redhawks with a 3.18 and 3.82, respectively. Both pitchers won their respecitve starts overthe weekend.
 
 Opposing hitters are hitting just .215 off of Niznik and only .229 off of Dow. 
 
Niznik continues to lead the staff with 44 strikeouts on the season. Dow, in third, has punched out 26 opposing batters.
 
Offensive Leaders          
Jevon Mason sits atop the clubhouse with a .317 batting average. Mason also leads the Redhawks with 33 hits, 6 doubles, and 26 runs scored. 
 
Chance Resetich leads the slugging percentage category with .486. He is also leading the team with 24 runs batted in, and is tied for the team-lead with six doubles.
 
About Murray 
One of two new editiions to the Missouri Valley Conference, Murray State comes into Tuesday's matchup 14-14 overall and a 3-3 MVC record. 
 
The Racers four-game winning streak snapped Monday afternoon after taking games one and two from Valparaiso (4/2) before losing a Monday matchup with Valpo (4/3), 5-2.
 
The Racers offense is led by Dustin Mercer with a .325 batting average. Mercer is currently leading the team in batting average, hits (37), runs scored (31), total bases (60), and is second in both home runs (5) and doubles (6). 
 
Outfielder Brennan McCullough plays a big part of MSU's offense. McCullough is first in slugging percentage (.546), second in hits (31), tied second in doubles (6), and is second in RBIs with 23.
 
The Murray State pitching staff has accumulated a 4.81 ERA over the first 27 games. Bryce Valero headlines the staff with a 3-0 record so far on the season. 
 
Valero has a 2.27 ERA in 31.2 innings pitched. He has struck out 40 opposing batters while only walking 13 all season. 
 
Ben Krizen has made 12 appearances out of the bullpen for the Racers with an impressive 2.87 ERA over 15.2 innings pitched. 
 
The reliever has fanned 18 batters and has only allowed five earned runs all season.
 
Looking Ahead
The Redhawks will return to OVC action for a series at Southern Indiana beginning Thursday, April 6 and concluding on Saturday, April 8. First pitch is slated to begin on Thursday at 6 p.m., CT. in Evansville, Ind.