Southeast Missouri State baseball team ready to begin season on road

The members of the Southeast Missouri State baseball team aren't limiting themselves when it comes to how successful of a season they believe they'll have.

"Anytime you go into a season, you have big expectations," said junior Jason Blum, one of several returning starters for the Redhawks. "There's no reason to set a limit on yourself. We haven't set any limited goals because we want the sky to be the limit. We're going to go with that type of approach this year."

Blum is one of nine returning starting position players for the Redhawks squad that finished sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference and compiled an overall record of 26-33 and 13-17 in the OVC last season.

"That's the strength of our club," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said. "One of the reasons I feel we're ahead is because of the fact that there's less of a learning curve. These guys played, they know our system -- from all of our bunt plays to our first-and-third-type plays. They already had all that down. They were familiar with that. That's an advantage for us. We were able to get right into it and work it as opposed to teaching it this year."

Bieser's second season gets underway Friday with a weekend series on the road against Oral Roberts University.

Southeast Missouri State's Derek Gibson prepares to swing during the Redhawks' practice, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, at Houck Field House. (Laura Simon)

In addition to starting second baseman and third-team Louisville Slugger preseason All-American Blum, who started all 59 games and batted .323 last season, Southeast also returns first baseman Matt Tellor, who batted .311 and recorded 46 RBIs, and third baseman Andy Lennington (.282) to the infield.

Catcher Alex Burridge returns, but Bieser said junior college transfers Scott Mitchell and Cole Ferguson are strong contenders for playing time behind the plate.

Andy Lack and Branden Boggetto will compete for the starting shortstop position.

Cole Bieser, Clayton Evans, Dalton Hewitt and Derek Gibson all return and will see time in the outfield. Hewitt, Gibson and Evans led the Redhawks in batting average last season. Hewitt hit .345, Gibson hit .332, Evans hit .325 and Cole Bieser batted .306.

"We've got to find a way to get them all in the lineup and keep them fresh," Bieser said. "It's a good problem to have. What we didn't have last year was we didn't have as much depth on the bench, but we will have some good depth on the bench."

The Redhawks did not return many players to their pitching staff, but between a starting pitcher returning from injury and junior college transfers, the Redhawks have reloaded for 2014.

"It's really kind of funny because I don't know if we've got a top pitcher," Bieser said. "I think we've got seven or eight guys that are right there together, and I think we've got a good staff of 12 pitchers that we're going to be taking with us on the trip.

"Every guy has a little uniqueness about him -- he has something a little different than the other guy, which is very important for a pitching staff because they'll complement each other and the opposing team won't continue to get the same look on every guy that we run out there."

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Iago, one of three pitchers who transferred from Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla., will get the nod to start the season opener Friday.

"He's got three quality pitches, but the fact that he can locate all of his pitches and throw where he wants to throw it gives him an advantage," Bieser said. "That's one of the reasons he was chosen for Friday night is because we want to kind of set the tone in the first game of the series. He works quick. Our defense will play well behind him, and he just challenges people to put the ball in play, so I think that's a good way to start it."

Left-handed pitcher Christian Hull returns for the Redhawks after redshirting last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and will start on the mound Saturday.

"Each time he throws off the mound for us he seems to get better and better," Bieser said, "and we know that actually seeing a different uniform is going to turn it up a notch for him and he's going to be even that much better."

Redlands Community College transfer Ryan Lenaburg will pitch Sunday. Bieser said Lenaburg is the "best arm out of the group, high-velocity-type guy with a very good slider."

Sophomore Alex Winkelman is slated to start midweek games for the Redhawks and could appear in relief this weekend.

Bieser mentioned there are also strong relief pitching options such as Travis Hayes, a transfer from Jefferson College, and Brady Wright, a transfer from Rend Lake Community College, waiting in the bullpen if the starters struggle.

Three Rivers Community College transfer Garret Stockton and Redlands transfer Greg Mosel are possibilities as a closer.

The Redhawks have held several practices inside because of the weather and are ready to start their season Friday in Tulsa, Okla.

"We were able to come back in and kind of refine some of our mechanical-type things that we were possibly getting out of being in that team setting every day, on-the field-type stuff," Bieser said. "I think this was a good week for us. I know everybody's itching to get out. We want to go play, and we're ready to go play."