Redhawks try to extend four-game winning streak

~ Southeast plays at St. Louis University today and hosts SIU on Wednesday.

Southeast Missouri State's current winning streak began with a mid-week, nonconference triumph over nationally ranked Missouri.

The Redhawks hope to keep things rolling with two nonleague games over the next two days.

Southeast (10-14, 3-3 Ohio Valley Conference) will carry a four-game victory string into today's 3 p.m. contest at St. Louis University (13-12, 4-2 Atlantic 10 Conference).

The Redhawks return home to face Southern Illinois University (18-12, 3-3 Missouri Valley Conference) at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Salukis have a game today at Tennessee-Martin.

Southeast, coming off a three-game weekend series sweep of OVC opponent Murray State, resumes conference play this weekend at Jacksonville State.

"It would be nice to keep playing well and to keep winning before we go to Jacksonville State for a tough series," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said.

Hogan doesn't think it's a coincidence the Redhawks swept Murray State after stunning visiting Missouri 3-2 last Wednesday on freshman Daniel Schuh's walk-off home run in the ninth inning.

"I think the Missouri game picked us up, and I really like the way we've responded since then," Hogan said.

The Redhawks responded by shutting out Murray State in all three games, winning 1-0, 5-0 and 7-0. Southeast last blanked three consecutive opponents in 2001.

"To have three straight shutouts is pretty amazing," Hogan said. "But really, our pitching has been great for quite a while now."

Southeast has allowed just eight runs in its past seven games.

"We've had seven tremendous starts in a row," Hogan said.

After a somewhat shaky beginning to the season defensively, the Redhawks have also tightened things up in that area, with just one error in their last five games.

"Our pitching and defense, you really couldn't ask for much more than what we've been doing lately," Hogan said.

Hogan is still waiting for the Redhawks' offense -- they field an inexperienced lineup -- to catch up with other aspects of their game.

Southeast took a step in the right direction with Sunday's 7-0 pasting of Murray State. The Redhawks had a season-high 12 hits and totaled more than 10 hits for just the second time.

"I think it's just a matter of time before our offense really starts to come around," said senior pitcher Jamie McAlister, who picked up one of the wins over the weekend. "Going up against these guys in our intrasquad games, I know they can hit."

The Redhawks still rank last in the OVC with a .220 batting average.

"We've got a lot of young guys who haven't hit against Division I pitching before this year," Hogan said. "We knew it was going to take some time, and that our pitching would have to carry us for a while.

"If we get to hitting, with what the pitching and defense have shown they can do, I think we can be a contending club in the conference."

St. Louis already has matched their victory total from last season, when the Billikens went 13-40.

SIU appears primed for another strong season, after going 38-21 last year.

"We generally have good, competitive games with these clubs," said Hogan, whose team has played both the Billikens and Salukis twice a year for the past several seasons. "We'll have our hands full."

The Redhawks' rematch with St. Louis will be May 16 at Capaha Field, while Southeast won't have to wait long to take on SIU again; the Redhawks travel to Carbondale one week from today.