SEMO baseball secures historic NCAA Regional wins

The Southeast Missouri State University baseball team recently wrapped up its 2024 season. With the program’s third Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship in four years and a strong performance at the NCAA Regionals, the Redhawks have much to celebrate this year.

SEMO clinched the OVC Tournament title at Marion, Illinois, defeating a talented Morehead State team. This victory not only crowned the Redhawks conference champions, but it also secured their spot in the NCAA Regional and set the stage for further success. The team’s performance throughout the tournament showcased their resilience and ability to perform under pressure, qualities that have defined their season.

In the Fayetteville Regional, SEMO won two games against formidable opponents, Louisiana Tech and the No. 5 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. These victories tripled their previous number of regional wins. The last time they won a game during the NCAA Regionals was in 2002 during the Mark Hogan era when SEMO defeated Alabama. The win against Arkansas, in particular, stands out as a significant milestone, given the Razorbacks’ high national ranking and strong reputation in college baseball.

Head coach Andy Sawyers, who took the helm in July 2016, has been instrumental in the team’s success. These recent regional wins mark his first NCAA Regional victories with SEMO, underscoring his leadership and the positive trajectory of the program under his guidance.

SEMO has had many excellent coaches in recent years. These individuals are not only good coaches on the field but also good leaders who care about their players’ success beyond sports. Sawyers is one of these individuals.

We enjoyed seeing SEMO get national attention last weekend after big wins before falling short to Kansas State. With several talented players set to return, we expect more good things from this program next season.

While we’re talking about baseball, congratulations to Oran. The high school’s baseball team won its fourth state baseball title last month with an 11-1 victory over Sacred Heart in the MSHSAA Class 1 State Championship.

Dennis Marshall reported on www.semoball.com and the Standard Democrat that the team’s seniors leave with an 81-18 overall record, four district titles, three final four appearances and two state championships during their high school tenure. It’s been an impressive run for this team filled with success and good memories.