Southeast Missouri State baseball team resumes rivalry with Mizzou

~ The schools have not met on a baseball diamond since 2006

Southeast Missouri State used to play Missouri in baseball annually, often facing the Tigers twice per season and sometimes more.

The state universities have not squared off on the diamond since 2006 -- but that will change today when the squads meet in Columbia for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

"It's good to have Mizzou back on our schedule," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said. "We're looking to go there to compete, to play a good, solid game."

Southeast is 20-25 overall and 12-12 in Ohio Valley Conference play, which has the Redhawks sixth in the 11-team league. They have lost five of their last six OVC games and seven of eight overall.

The Redhawks have struggled in close games recently, dropping their last six contests decided by one run. Four one-run losses have come in the past two weeks, including three in extra innings.

"It's been a tough stretch for us," Bieser said. "It seems like we haven't gotten many breaks, but you make your own breaks."

MU is 15-24 overall and a 7-14 during its first season in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers are fifth in the seven-team SEC East Division and tied for 11th overall in the 14-team league.

Southeast is 9-21 all-time against MU, but the Redhawks have won three of the past five meetings.

The Redhawks went 2-1 against MU in 2006, losing 14-3 during a tournament in Kansas City before winning 9-6 in Columbia and 3-2 in Cape Girardeau on walk-off home run by Daniel Schuh. The squads split their two meetings in 2005.

"I think they're a team we can compete with on a regular basis," Bieser said. "We plan on playing them every year, and it's going to be a good thing for us to do."

Southeast resumes OVC play this weekend with a three-game series at 10th-place Murray State.