Redhawks will play Mizzou in 2013 baseball season

Southeast Missouri State's 2013 baseball schedule released Thursday is highlighted by 31 home games and matchups with six NCAA regional teams from last year.

Austin Peay, Belmont, Creighton, Missouri, Missouri State and Oral Roberts all qualified for an NCAA Regional in 2012.

"We created a very challenging schedule this season," Southeast interim coach Steve Bieser said in a release. "We will play a lot of talented ballclubs that will make this one of our best schedules in recent memory."

The Redhawks open the season at New Orleans in a three-game series Feb. 15 to 17. Southeast's first home contest is Feb. 19 against Harris-Stowe.

Southeast's first home weekend series is Feb. 22 to 24 against Summit League member and 40-game winner North Dakota State.

Other nonconference weekend home series include visits from Oral Roberts and Memphis. The Redhawks make a trip to Missouri on April 30. The Redhawks and Tigers last met during the 2006 season.

"It's going to be exciting to play Missouri," Bieser said. "It gives us a chance to play with the best and compete with them."

Southeast faces SIU Carbondale, Saint Louis and Arkansas State both home and on the road. The Redhawks also host Creighton.

Other nonconference opponents are Missouri-St. Louis and Mid-Continent at home, and Arkansas-Little Rock on the road.

The Redhawks open Ohio Valley Conference play March 8 to 10 at SIU Edwardsville.

Nelson returns

Southeast soccer coach Heather Nelson has been cleared to return to the sidelines for the Redhawks.

Nelson will travel with the team today when it visits Memphis for a 7 p.m. game.

Associate head coach Paul Nelson had taken on additional responsibilities in his wife's absence due to injuries suffered during an accident over the summer.

"I'm excited to be back with the team," Heather Nelson said in a release. "They are a huge part of my life. The part that has always motivated me in coaching has been being around these elite young athletes. That part has been missing for the past few weeks. It's going to be fantastic to be with them full-time again."

-- From staff reports