Southeast Missouri State baseball team opens series vs. defending OVC champions

~ Austin Peay has ruled baseball in the OVC the past two seasons

Southeast Missourian

Southeast Missouri State, despite Tuesday's 25-3 loss to SIU Carbondale that tied the school record for margin of defeat, is among the Ohio Valley Conference's hottest baseball teams, having won five of its last six league games.

The Redhawks will face a tough challenge in trying to keep rolling this weekend when they host the two-time OVC regular-season and tournament champion.

Austin Peay visits Capaha Field for a three-game series beginning at 5 p.m. today. Contests also will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Austin Peay (25-9, 8-3) is in fourth place in the 11-team OVC after suffering a rare series loss last weekend. The Governors trail first-place Belmont by just one game on the loss side.

Southeast (17-17, 9-6) is in fifth place halfway through its 30-game conference schedule. The top six finishers qualify for the OVC tournament, which the Redhawks have participated in a conference-record 18 consecutive seasons.

"There is still a long way to go, but we've put ourselves in a nice position," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said. "Our goal is to win every OVC series."

The Redhawks have won three of their five OVC series, including two straight. They swept Tennessee-Martin two weeks ago and took two of three at SIU Edwardsville last weekend.

All three of Southeast's OVC series victories have come against squads no higher than sixth in the standings. The Redhawks have faced only one of the league's current top four teams. Belmont took two of three from Southeast in the opening weekend of league play.

"This is a huge series. We understand that," Bieser said. "What Austin Peay has done in the past is very impressive. They'll be a tough opponent."

The Govs, the OVC preseason favorites, dropped two of three at home against Tennessee Tech last weekend. That marked Austin Peay's first conference series loss since last April, ending a stretch of six straight OVC series victories. Overall the Govs have suffered a season-high four straight losses.

"They'll be looking to come in here and get back on track," Bieser said.

Austin Peay 26th-year coach Gary McClure recently became the OVC's career leader in wins with 777.

The Govs, after failing to make the OVC tournament in 2009 and 2010, bounced back the last two years with a 74-48 overall record and a 36-13 conference mark. Austin Peay won two NCAA regional games last season after posting a regional victory in 2011.

Austin Peay, which carries the OVC's top batting average at .292, is paced offensively by junior college transfer first baseman Craig Massoni. He leads the Govs with a .349 average, six home runs and 36 RBIs. He ranks fifth in the league in hitting and second in RBIs.

The Govs have five regulars batting better than .300, including three among the OVC's top 11. Senior second baseman Jordan Hankins, the OVC preseason co-player of the year, is third on the squad with a .341 average while ranking second with five homers and 31 RBIs.

Junior Lee Ridenhour is one of the OVC's elite starters with a 5-0 record, a 2.48 ERA and just 41 hits allowed in 54 1/3 innings. He is third in the OVC in ERA for a club that ranks fifth in that category with a 4.68 mark.

Senior closer Tyler Rogers, after posting a school record 12 saves last year -- third-most in OVC single-season history -- already has matched that total this year. His 24 career saves also rank third in league history.

"We know Austin Peay is a great ballclub and it's going to be a big challenge for us," said junior left fielder Derek Gibson, Southeast's top hitter with a .368 average that ranks second in the conference. "But our goal is to win the series. I think we can do that."

Southeast is fourth in the OVC with a .284 batting average. The Redhawks lead the conference in doubles with 75 and stolen bases with 56 in 68 attempts. The Redhawks, whose pitching staff has been gutted by injuries, are sixth with a 5.43 ERA.

The Redhawks' mound corps, shorthanded for mid-week nonconference play, took a hit statistically during Tuesday's 25-3 loss to SIU Carbondale, but Bieser doesn't believe that will impact Southeast this weekend.

"We feel like we can match up with anybody on the weekend [in conference play]," Bieser said. "This is our chance to prove it."