Redhawks eager to exact revenge on Arkansas State

~ Southeast lost on awalk-off homer in last meeting with Indians.

The last time the Southeast Missouri State baseball team saw Arkansas State, the Indians were celebrating a walk-off home run in Jonesboro, Ark.

The Redhawks will get a chance at redemption today when they host the Indians at Capaha Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Southeast is riding the momentum of a series win against Eastern Illinois last weekend. Southeast won the rubber match with the Panthers 10-4 on Sunday. The Redhawks are tied atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings with Jacksonville State and Austin Peay.

But today's game is a chance to erase the memory of their first meeting with the Indians on March 6. Southeast had tied the game in the top of the eighth with four runs, three coming on Asif Shah's homer, only to see the Indians win it on Josh Yates' solo shot off Josh Parham.

"That's been a while back, but that's a game I certainly remember and our players will, too," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "... It was a heck of a finish."

The Redhawks enter today's game at 27-18 overall and 18-9 at Capaha Park. They have six players batting over .300, led by senior second baseman Omar Padilla's .341. The Southeast pitching staff saw its ERA rise during two nonconference games against Memphis last week, when it surrendered 31 runs in two games. Southeast enters with a team ERA of 4.57.

The Redhawks will send left-hander James Leigh to the mound. He's 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in six games.

"The guys we'll be using for the weekend, they're ready," Hogan said. "We'll try to get them some work. I have to be careful about maybe overdoing it with a guy we might need on the weekend."

Arkansas State won't be limited in who it uses since it doesn't play this weekend. Hogan said he expects to see the Indians' full arsenal of pitchers.

There will be a familiar face on the Arkansas State bench in junior Josh Ford, a Central graduate. He's still waiting for his first hit of the season and has seen action in seven games.

The Indians have five players batting over .300, led by Ryan Hudgins' .337. He also has nine homers and driven in 36 runs. Yates is the other threat in Arkansas State's lineup with his .328 average, 10 homers and 30 RBI. He's only played in 31 of the team's 47 games.

Arkansas State, 19-28 overall, enters with a team ERA of 5.54. It has lost five of its last six games.

Tonight's game is sponsored by Bluff City Beer Co., which will offer its product line during the game.

Moses signs

Southeast announced that Advance senior Trenton Moses signed a national letter of intent to play for the Redhawks next season.

"He is a big, strong high school boy with talent on the mound and has potential as a hitter," Hogan said. "He's a guy I would say has a high ceiling."

Hogan said he's unsure how he'll use Moses, who pitches but also swings a strong bat.

"It's going to be interesting to see how it pans out with him, whether on the mound or at the plate," Hogan said. "He might be another dual player."

Moses joins Central's Brad LaBruyere and Matt Hester as local players to sign with the Redhawks for next season.