Southeast Missouri State baseball team will try to continue SIUE's offensive problems

~ The Redhawks open a three-game OVC road series today

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team is coming off its most successful Ohio Valley Conference series since 2011.

This weekend the Redhawks hope to continue their OVC surge when they visit SIU Edwardsville for three games. Starting times are 6 p.m. today, 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Southeast (15-15, 7-5) moved up to fifth place in the 11-team OVC after winning all three games from visiting Tennessee-Martin last week for its first OVC series sweep since 2011.

"It was a great weekend for us and we need to build on that this weekend," Southeast coach Steve Bieser said.

Bieser's pitching staff, which has been solid despite being riddled by injuries, will look to keep seventh-place SIUE (7-16, 5-7) in an offensive funk.

The Cougars have by far the worst statistical offense in the OVC and among the worst in the country.

SIUE's .212 batting average is 38 points lower than any other conference team. The Cougars have scored just 75 runs -- 43 fewer than another other league squad. Their six home runs are tied for the fewest in the conference.

By contrast, Southeast's .282 batting average ranks third in the OVC. The Redhawks also are third with 173 runs and tied for third with 16 homers. They lead in doubles with 61 and stolen bases with 38, in 48 attempts.

Senior first baseman Joel Greatting is SIUE's only full-time regular batting above .300. He is at .320 after hitting better than .300 each of the past two seasons.

The Cougars' 5.32 ERA is eighth in the conference, while Southeast's 4.95 ERA is sixth.

SIUE does feature one of the OVC's premier pitchers in junior Travis Felax, a second-team all-conference performer last year.

Felax has a 2-3 record but with a sparkling 1.63 ERA that ranks third in the league. He has allowed 42 hits in 49 2/3 innings while striking out 32 and walking only five.

"He's a very good pitcher, one of the best in the conference," Bieser said. "He's going to give us all we want."

Southeast got the best of Felax last year when the Redhawks took two of three from SIUE in Cape Girardeau during their final regular-season series. Southeast beat Felax 9-4 in the series opener as he was tagged for 13 hits and eight earned runs in five innings.

SIUE is eligible for the OVC tournament for the first time this season after becoming a full-fledged league member last year.

The Cougars would have qualified for the six-team conference tournament in 2012 as they tied for fifth. SIUE's ineligibility allowed seventh-place Southeast to extend its OVC record of 18 straight conference tournament appearances.

Tailgates

Southeast has announced the dates for its 2013 Baseball Tailgates. The Redhawks will host six tailgates this season featuring free food and refreshments.

The first tailgate will be presented by Bluff City Beer Company on Tuesday when the Redhawks host regional rival Southern Illinois Carbondale at 5 p.m.

Other tailgates are April 13 (Jimmy John's and Kohlfeld Distributing), April 26 (Bank of Missouri and Kohlfeld Distributing), April 27 (Missouri National Guard and Hubrew), May 10 (Buffalo Wild Wings and River Eagle Distributing) and May 12 (Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge and Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club).