Southeast Missouri State baseball team adds hitting, pitching coaches

Southeast Missouri State interim baseball coach Steve Bieser has filled out his staff with hitting coach Dillon Lawson and pitching coach Lance Rhodes.

Lawson replaces Chris Cafalone, who spent the previous six seasons as Southeast's hitting coach before leaving the program.

Rhodes will fill the role occupied by Bieser the past two seasons before he was elevated to interim coach for the 2013 campaign following Mark Hogan's retirement.

"I'm excited about adding both these coaches," Bieser said. "I think we've put together a good young staff. They both have a lot of energy and love to work."

Lawson spent the past three seasons as an assistant at Morehead State, a rival of Southeast's in the Ohio Valley Conference. He also was an assistant at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., from 2007 through 2009.

Lawson was a four-year starter at first base and catcher for Transylvania (Ky.) University before graduating in 2007.

"I knew of him at Morehead. He had a big role in their success last year. The people I talked to gave him a lot of credit for their turnaround," Bieser said. "He's also going to work with our defense. He's got a great knowledge of the game."

Rhodes, a Sikeston native, pitched for the Redhawks in 2007 and 2008 after transferring from Saint Louis University, where he pitched two seasons for the Billikens.

Rhodes, a volunteer assistant at Southeast before spending the past three years as an assistant at Wabash Valley (Ill.) Junior College, also will serve as the Redhawks' recruiting coordinator.

"Coach Hogan really had Lance hired right before he announced his retirement," Bieser said. "He was going to be the pitching coach, and I was going to move over to hitting coach. We both agreed he was the right guy for the job. Our philosophies on the pitching side are very similar, and he really gets after recruiting."

Returning to the Southeast staff for his second season in 2013 will be volunteer assistant Michael Adamson, a former star outfielder for the Redhawks who completed his eligibility in 2011.

"He's more than your typical volunteer assistant. He'll also play a big part in our offense, along with [Lawson]," Bieser said.

Honor for recruit

One of Southeast's new players for the 2013 season, who previously had not been announced, recently earned a notable accolade.

Matt Tellor, a transfer from Lindenwood University, was named the Prospect League player of the year and co-top prospect. He also garnered All-Star game MVP honors and was named the fourth best prospect in the league by Baseball America.

Tellor, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound switch-hitting first baseman, batted .341 with 18 homers and 66 RBIs while playing for the Springfield (Ill.) Sliders in the collegiate wood-bat summer league.

"We're excited to have him. His statistics this summer were outstanding," said Bieser, whose squad begins fall practice Sept. 24.

Golf tournament

The eighth annual Joe Uhls Memorial Golf Tournament, a major fundraiser for the Southeast baseball program, will be held Sept. 28 at Bent Creek Golf Course in Jackson.

The four-person scramble will feature three flights and begin at 12:30 p.m., following lunch at 11:15 a.m. Cost is $200 per player, which includes Redhawks apparel, meal, refreshments and practice balls.

For more information, call 986-6002 or visit gosoutheast.com.