Game 42-44
SIUE (22-19, 11-4 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (29-12, 10-5 OVC) 
 
Game Information: 
Dates: Friday, April 24 – Sunday, April 26
Times: Fri: 6 p.m. | Sat: 2 p.m. | Sun: 1 p.m.
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo. 
Venue: Capaha Field 
Sawyers vs. SIUE: 16-8
 
Head Coaches: 
SEMO: Andy Sawyers (364-261 overall; 276-234 at SEMO; 10^th Season)
SIUE: Sean Lyons (210-269-1 at SIUE; 10^th Season)
 
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Live Stats: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
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Listen: SEMO ESPN 93.5 FM or 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Tickets
 
Redhawks Host SIUE in Pivotal OVC Weekend Series 
Southeast Missouri Baseball (29-12, 10-5 OVC) welcomes in Ohio Valley Conference leaders SIUE (22-19, 11-4 OVC) to Cape Girardeau for a big series over the weekend. The Redhawks and Cougars will face off Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26 with first pitch slated for 6 p.m., 2 p.m., and 1 p.m., respectively, from Capaha Field. 
 
Sawyers vs. SIUE
SEMO Baseball will take on SIUE for the 25^th, 26^th, and 27^th time(s) under Head Coach Andy Sawyers this weekend. The Redhawks hold a 16-8 overall advantage over SIUE with Sawyers at the helm, including winning the series in Edwardsville, Ill. last season. SEMO has won four-of-the-last-six against the Cougars dating back to 2024. 
 
Fill the Hill Friday
Friday's series opener marks another 'Fill the Hill' Friday at Capaha Field where fans 21+ can enjoy FREE adult beverages from Kohlfeld Distributing. 
 
Jersey Giveaway/Alumni Day
Saturday's game two against SIUE is a big day at the ballpark as SEMO Baseball welcomes back its alumni to Cape Girardeau to enjoy the game. Fans can also be one of the first to enter the ballpark and can receive a free SEMO Baseball replica jersey courtesy of Window World. 
 
Tuesday Recap
SEMO Baseball picked up win number 29 on the season Tuesday night with a 5-1 victory over rival Southern Illinois in Cape Girardeau. The Redhawks scored four-of-five runs via the long ball and capped it off with an RBI single to complete the season sweep of Southern Illinois for the first time since 2024. SEMO got a two-run home run from Carson Schrack in the second inning, and back-to-back solo blasts from Cal Sullivan and Joe Hall, respectively. The Redhawks improved to 7-12 on the season in games they are outhit as they recorded just four hits, but the SEMO pitching staff was dialed in allowing just one run over five pitchers. LHP Ben Snider (3-2) picked up the victory as he tossed 3.0 scoreless innings of one hit baseball. The lone Saluki run came in the second inning on a solo home run as SEMO went on to seal the victory the rest of the way. 
 
Non-Conference Success
SEMO Baseball has now played 26 games outside of the Ohio Valley Conference this season following Tuesday's victory over SIU. In the non-conference, SEMO improved to 19-7 and an impressive 7-2 against the Missouri Valley Conference in 2026. The Redhawks also improved to 7-1 overall on Tuesdays this season with the only loss coming at Ole Miss on February 24. 
 
Defend the Cap
With just eight more games in Cape Girardeau, SEMO has defended its yard all season long improving to 17-4 in games at Capaha Field following Tuesday. The Redhawks have only suffered two of their losses to Illinois State and one loss each to Miami (OH) and Morehead State in the 573 in 2026. 
 
Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist
Shortstop Andrew Ramirez of SEMO Baseball landed on the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Semifinalist list, the College Baseball Foundation announced on Wednesday morning. 
 
Ramirez, a native of West Covina, Calif., is the leader of the nation's third best defense as SEMO Baseball holds a .986 fielding mark and ranks atop the Ohio Valley Conference. The senior himself is fielding at a .985 mark and over 133 chances this season, he has just two errors. He has recorded 42 putouts, 89 assists, and has been involved in 14 double plays. At the plate he is hitting .321 on the season and is ranked as the nation's fifth toughest hitter to strikeout (18.7). He has 42 hits, seven doubles, a home run, and has driven in 29 RBIs in 2026.
 
NCBWA 'Stopper of Year' Watchlist
LHP Jackson Kranawetter was named to the 2026 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) 'Stopper of the Year' Midseason Watch List, the association announced on Wednesday. Kranawetter, a senior from Campbell Hill, Illinois, has made 13 appearances this season, including one start, and has thrown 24.0 innings having made an Ohio Valley Conference-best eight saves so far in 2026. Those eight saves ranks Kranawetter 12th in the country and pushed his career save total to 16. He needs just two more saves this season to become the program's all-time saves leader, surpassing former Redhawk Kyle Miller (2021-24) who finished with 17. 
 
This year, Kranawetter has punched out 31 opposing hitters, allowed just 11 runs on 29 hits, and has only walked just three opponents.
 
Going Back-to-Back
First baseman Cal Sullivan and designated hitter Joe Hall provided a fun spark to the game on Tuesday evening as the power duo hit back-to-back solo jacks in the third inning against Southern Illinois. With one out in the third, Cal Sullivan went yard to left field on the second pitch of his at-bat to make it 3-1 Redhawks. The next pitch, Joe Hall went deep to left field as well to give SEMO a 4-1 cushion in just three pitches. The duo now has 23 home runs between the two with Cal Sullivan leading the club with 14. 
 
First of the Season
The Redhawks got their lead in the second inning with a two-run jack from second baseman Carson Schrack. Trailing 1-0 in the home second, Schrack went deep to right field off Salukis RHP Gio De Graau for a two-run shot to give SEMO its first lead of the evening. For Schrack, the long ball marked his first of the season in just his 22^nd game played after missing time due to injury. He is hitting .329 on the season (23-70) with six doubles, a home run, and 19 RBIs. 
 
Tuesday Start
RHP JoJo Keldsen, who pitched for the third time in four days, got his second start of the season Tuesday night against SIU. Keldsen allowed just one run on two hits and struck out an opposing hitter before leaving the game. Over the last three games, Keldsen has thrown 59 pitches and allowed just three total runs and has not surrendered a walk in those outings. 
 
Sweet Relief
LHP Ben Snider improved to 3-2 on Tuesday night after coming in to relieve Keldsen in the fourth inning. With a 4-1 lead, Snider pitched the next 3.0 innings and held the Salukis to just one hit and no runs over 56 pitches. The outing marked the sixth time this season that Snider has not allowed a run to his opponents in 11 appearances. He has a 6.92 ERA overall and has struck out 23 hitters in his first season of collegiate baseball. 
 
Second in the League
RHP Mason Pennington ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in strikeouts heading into the weekend series. In 51.1 innings, Pennington has struck out 54 opposing hitters in 10 starts as opponents are hitting just .253 against him. He trails only Bryce Riggs of Eastern Illinois who has 60 total strikeouts this season.