Game 37
Southeast Missouri (25-11) at Murray State (21-15)
 
Game Information: 
Date: Tuesday, April 14
Time: 4 p.m., CT. 
Location: Murray, Ky.
Venue: Johnny Reagan Field
Sawyers vs. MSU: 17-10
 
Head Coaches: 
SEMO: Andy Sawyers (360-260 overall; 272-233 at SEMO; 10^th Season)
MSU: Dak Skirka (230-166; Eighth Season)
 
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Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: SEMO ESPN 93.5 FM or 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
 
Game Notes (PDF)
Media Guide (PDF)

Redhawks Battle Murray State in Midweek Action Tuesday 
SEMO Baseball (25-11) will make the return trip to Murray, Ky. to take on Murray State (21-15) for the second time this season on Tuesday, April 14. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m., CT. from Johnny Reagan Field. 
 
The Rematch
The Redhawks and Racers will meet for the second time this season on Tuesday evening since the two played in Cape Girardeau back on March 31. SEMO took the game by a final score of 8-1 at Capaha Field extending their winning streak to three games at that point. The two will meet for the 28^th time under 10^th year Head Coach Andy Sawyers on Tuesday as the Redhawks hold a 17-10 advantage against MSU in Sawyers' tenure. 
 
Weekend Recap
SEMO Baseball won the series against Morehead State this past weekend in Cape Girardeau winning the first two games of the series. In Friday's game, SEMO got a dominant performance on the mound from RHPs Mason Pennington and Nathan Mertens who stifled the Eagles' offense over 12-innings. The duo pitched 12.0 innings and allowed just two runs and struck out a season-high 21 combined hitters, led by Pennington with a career-high 12 Ks. Catcher Tank Sims provided the season's first walk-off hit in the bottom of the 12^th inning with an RBI double to give SEMO a 3-2 victory. The offense exploded on Saturday afternoon to the tune of 10 runs on 13 hits headlined by Andrew Ramirez who drove in three RBIs with a 3-5 day at the plate. First baseman Cal Sullivan hit a home run, his ninth of the season, as the Redhawks used a six run second inning to take game two 10-8. The Eagles salvaged a game in the series on Sunday, winning 6-5. The Redhawks fell behind early, 4-0, before a five run third inning gave them a 5-4 lead. Right fielder Ryan Lopetegui hit the Redhawks' second grand slam of the season to put SEMO in front, but that was the only runs of the game for SEMO as the Eagles used a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to take the contest. 
 
Season High Merty
RHP Nathan Mertens came on in relief of Mason Pennington on Friday night and put in a phenomenal performance. Mertens, who pitched 5.0 innings of relief, made his 10^th appearance on the mound for the Redhawks and his eighth of the season out of the pen. He punched out a season-high nine opposing hitters which was just one away from tying his career-high (10). He surrendered a walk for only the second time this season and allowed just three hits. He has a 4.09 ERA over 33.0 innings in 2026.
 
Bounce Back Start
RHP Mason Pennington made his ninth start of the season on Friday night and had a career day against Morehead State. Pennington pitched a career-long 7.0 innings on Friday, recording 12 strikeouts for a new career best. He allowed just one earned run on three hits and surrendered just one walk on 103 total pitches. He is 5-2 on the season with a 3.59 ERA and has punched out 53 opposing hitters. 
 
Just the Second One This Season
Right fielder Ryan Lopetegui stepped to the plate in the third inning of Sunday's game with the bases loaded with nobody out. Lopetegui crushed his fourth home run of the season to deep left field to give SEMO a 5-4 lead in the contest. His blast marked the second grand slam of the season for the Redhawks, the first hit by Joe Hall back on March 29 at Western Illinois. Lopetegui brought his RBI total to 31 total driven in on the season and it was his second game this season with four RBIs. 
 
Free Baseball
The Redhawks played in their first extra innings game of 2026 on Friday night and improved to 1-0 in extra innings with a 3-2 victory. Catcher Tank Sims hit the season's first walk-off hit as he crushed a double into the right center field gap that scored Brooks Kettering from second base. Sims also hit the go-ahead double in the ninth inning last Tuesday against Carbondale that allowed SEMO to take a 6-5 victory at Southern Illinois. 
 
Leadoff Man
Center fielder Caleb Klein recorded his seventh game this season with three hits in Sunday's finale against Morehead State. In 36 games, Klein is second on the team in hits with 50, first in runs scored (45), fourth in RBIs (30), first in triples (2), and first in on-base percentage (.469). He has been SEMO's leadoff hitter in 32-of-36 games this season and the Redhawks hold a 23-9 overall record with him at the top spot. 
 
Top 30
The Redhawks enter Tuesday's game with a 25-11 overall record marking a .694 winning-percentage in 2026. SEMO leads the OVC in overall winning-percentage and ranks 30^th in the country through 36 games. UCLA leads all of DI Baseball with a .943 winning-percentage.
 
Nothing Free
SEMO pitchers continue to be near the top of the country in walks allowed per nine innings. Following the weekend, SEMO Baseball enters Tuesday evening allowing just 3.09 BB/9 which ranks them atop the Ohio Valley Conference and fifth in the entire country. RHPs Andrew Carroll and Mason Pennington lead the club with just 1.77 and 2.27 BB/9, respectively, and rank second and fifth in the OVC. 
 
More Ks Than BBs
Along the same line, the pitching staff has climbed the leaderboard in strikeout-to-walk ratio through 36 games. The Redhawks have a 2.94 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season which ranks them first in the league and 15^th in the country. RHP Mason Pennington leads the OVC in K/BB with a 4.42 mark and ranks 66^th in the nation.
 
The 7^th
Closer Jackson Kranawetter came out of the bullpen on Saturday evening and picked up save number seven on the season in a 10-8 victory over Morehead State. Kranawetter, who ranks second all-time in single season saves (8), now has 15 career saves which is just two away from all-time leader Kyle Miller who finished with 17 saves in his four seasons. Jackson ranks first in the OVC and ninth in the nation in total saves this year. 
 
Welcome Back, Schrack
Infielder Carson Schrack made his return to the SEMO lineup after missing almost a month due to injury. The senior from Edgerton, Kansas started Sunday's contest at third base marking his 16^th start of the year. He went 0-3 at the plate with a hit-by-pitch and fielded his position cleanly with two putouts and two assists. He is fielding a perfect 1.000 in 17 games in 2026. 
 
Elite Defense
Through 36 games, SEMO Baseball is tied for the nation's best defense with a .987 fielding percentage with Incarnate Word. Six Redhawks are fielding a perfect 1.000 this season while the rest are fielding .980 or higher.