Redhawks play ASU before big OVC series

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team will host Jacksonville State on Friday and Saturday in a huge Ohio Valley Conference series.

Before the Redhawks get to that showdown, they want to extend their season-long winning streak today when they step out of the OVC.

Arkansas State visits Capaha Field for a 5 p.m. matchup as Southeast plays the fourth leg of an eight-game homestand.

"We're playing good baseball and hopefully we can keep it going," senior Casey Jones said.

Southeast has won six straight and is a season-high eight games above .500 at 22-14. The Redhawks are 7-4 in OVC play, tied for first in the nine-team league with Austin Peay. Preseason favorite Jacksonville State is a half-game back.

"That's going to be a really big series but we don't want to look past Arkansas State," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said.

The Redhawks began their homestand over the weekend with a three-game OVC series sweep of Tennessee-Martin by a combined score of 24-8.

"We're playing some of our best baseball," Hogan said. "It's really difficult to sweep anybody. It's very unusual in this league."

ASU is 17-22 overall and 5-10 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Red Wolves are tied for eighth in the 10-team league.

The Red Wolves are last in the Sun Belt with a .262 batting average but they have a 4.23 ERA, fifth-best in the conference.

Southeast captured the first meeting against the Red Wolves in the annual two-game series, rallying for an 8-5 win April 5 in Jonesboro, Ark.

The Redhawks trailed 5-4 before scoring fourth ninth-inning runs despite having just one hit. Southeast took advantage of three ASU errors in the frame.

"They've got a nice club and they play in a really good conference," Hogan said. "We had a great game with them last time."

Russell recognized

Southeast senior Brett Russell was named the OVC player of the week Monday.

Russell hit .526 (10 for 19) with five runs scored, a double, two home runs and nine RBIs as the Redhawks went 5-0 last week. He slugged .895 and had a .550 on-base percentage.

Russell leads Southeast with a .362 batting average and a .652 slugging percentage.