Kansas State  (28-18, 11-7 Big 12) vs. Southeast Missouri (26-20, 14-4 OVC)
 
Dates: Friday, May 5 | Saturday, May 6 | Sunday, May 7
Times: 6 p.m., CT. | 4 p.m., CT. | 1 p.m., CT.
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Facility: Tointon Family Stadium
Series: SEMO leads 1-0
Head Coaches: Andy Sawyers (268-187 overall; 181-160 at SEMO; 95-67 OVC). | Pete Hughes (698-554-3 overall; 126-110 at KSU; 81-104 Big 12)
 
Follow the Redhawks
Radio: ESPN 93.5 FM & 1220 AM (Erik Sean) 
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Watch: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 
Twitter: @SEMObaseball 
 
Redhawks Pause OVC Action, Head to Big 12-Member Kansas State For Weekend Series 
Southeast Missouri (26-20, 14-4 OVC) will be back in action this weekend for a three game series at Big 12 Member Kansas State (28-18, 11-7 Big 12). First pitch is slated for Friday, May 5, at 6 p.m., CT. from Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. 
 
Series History
The Redhawks and Wildcats will meet for just the second time in the schools' history on the diamond. SEMO currently has a 1-0 lead in the series, winning 9-5 on April 22, 2003 in Manhattan, Kan. In the first meeting. 
 
Last Time Out
Southeast Missouri (26-20, 14-4 OVC) dropped the midweek contest against Murray State (25-21, 10-8 MVC) by a final score of 5-0 at Capaha Field.
 
The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Redhawks dating back to last Tuesday's contest against Southern Illinois (4/25). 
 
RHP Payton Lawrence (3-1) started on the mound for the Redhawks. The Dixon, Ill.-native tossed six complete innings allowing just two runs on three hits. Lawrence had a career-high 10 strikeouts over 97 pitches. 
 
Lawrence took his first loss of the season in the outing. 
 
The Redhawks offense only mustered three hits on the night as the Racers used six different pitchers to take the game and the season series. 
 
SEMO left runners in scoring position eight different times in the ball game and failed to capitalize on any of them as the Redhawks were held to no runs for only the third time this season. 
 
The Racers broke the 0-0 tie in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run home run off the bat of right fielder Dustin Mercer to give Murray a 2-0 lead. 
 
SEMO loaded the bases in the bottom of the same inning. 
 
With two outs, Lincoln Andrews drew a walk. Peyton Leeper and Brett Graber drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. 
 
A fly out to center field off RHP pitcher Malik Pogue halted the opportunity for the Redhawks. 
 
Murray scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure the victory on Tuesday night.
 
OVC Players of the Week
Southeast Missouri Baseball swept the weekly awards in the Ohio Valley Conference this week as LHP Noah Niznik and outfielder Brett Graber were selected as Pitcher of the Week, and Co-Player of the Week, respectively, the league announced Monday afternoon.
 
Niznik, a St. Louis, Mo.-native, dominated the Lindenwood Lions on Friday night tossing a complete game, allowing just four hits and two unearned runs. The lefty struck out seven Lions over the nine innings to pick up his sixth win of the season.
 
The nine inning complete game was the first of his career. 
 
For Niznik, the Pitcher of the Week award is his first of the season. 
 
Brett Graber had his best four-game stretch of the season beginning on Tuesday night against Southern Illinois (4/25) where he finished 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs to lead SEMO to a 6-2 victory over the Salukis. 
 
Graber continued his ways over the weekend against Lindenwood where the outfielder registered nine RBIs over the three games, including a home run and three doubles. 
 
He finished the week going 8-for-14 (.571) and had a slugging percentage of 1.000. Graber also accounted for six runs and had an on-base percentage of .600 over the four-game week. 
 
For Graber, the Co-Player of the Week award is his first of the season. 
 
Coach Sawyers Returns to KSU
Redhawks Head Coach Andy Sawyers will make his return to Kansas State where he has had two separate stints on the KSU coaching staff. Sawyers was an assistant coach during the 2009 & 2010 season and then was the Associate Head Coach for the Wildcats from 2015-2016 before he became the Redhawks manager in 2017. KSU went to two NCAA regionals during Sawyers time in Manhattan. 
 
The Outfield
Jevon Mason, Josh Cameron, and Brett Graber powered SEMO over the past week. The outfield trio started every game for the Redhawks and accounted for 27 of SEMO's 44 RBIs. 
 
Cameron & Mason had three home runs each. 
 
The trio also accounted for 22 of the 48 runs scored by the Redhawks over the week.
 
Starting Pitching
A big key to the Redhawks success this past week started on the mound as all four starters this week registered a win
in impressive fashion. 
 
RHP Payton Lawrence picked up the win Tuesday night as the Illinois-native pitched 6.1innings, allowing just two runs on three hits. He struck out seven and had a 2.84 ERA. 
 
Noah Niznik allowed just four hits and two unearned runs while striking out seven over the nine innings to secure a 10-2 win for the Redhawks Friday night. 
 
Esteban Hernandez picked up his second win in his second career start, pitching 7.0 innings, allowing just two hits. 
 
LHP Haden Dow pitched 5.0 innings on Sunday to secure the sweep of Lindenwood as the lefty allowed just two runs on two hits, striking out three.
 
The Left Side
Short stop Peyton Leeper and third baseman Danny Sperling had a big week for the Redhawks. Leeper went 5-for-14 (.357) including a double and a triple with an RBI. 
 
Sperling finished his week with a .545 batting average (6-for-11) with six RBIs.
 
About Kansas State
The Wildcats come into the weekend series supporting a 28-18 overall record and an 11-7 Big 12 conference record. KSU most recently dropped their midweek contest to Wichita State by a final score of 1-0. 
 
Last weekend, KSU took two-out-of-three from #14 Texas Tech in Manhattan and are now in third place in the Big 12. 
 
The Wildcats' offense is led by Brady Day with a .349 batting average including a .436 slugging percentage and team-high 52 hits. Roberto Pena is the Wildcats top power hitter. 
 
Pena is slugging .536 and leads the team with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs on the season. KSU is eighth in the Big 12 with a .268 team batting average. 
 
The pitching staff is headlined by Owen Boerema and German Fajardo. Boerema leads the staff with a 4.23 ERA, while Fajardo is second with a 5.30 ERA. 
 
Opposing hitters are hitting .280 and .259 against the two, respectively. Boerema has 76 strikeouts on the season, the most on the team, followed by Fajardo with 47. 
 
The Wildcats are fourth in the Big 12 with an overall ERA of 4.88.