March 31, 2008

By Tyler Koonce, Baseball Contact

Game Notes

FIRST PITCH: Tuesday's game will begin at 4 p.m. from Hawkins Field on the campus of Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.

LIVE STATS: Up-to-the-second statistics are available through Vanderbilt on the Gametracker system. Click Here to Follow Live.

LISTEN LIVE: All Southeast baseball games can be heard live on the radio at 1220 AM KGIR. Erik Sean handles the play-by-play while Jess Bolen serves as the color commentator for ESPN Radio. Every game can also be heard online at ESPN RADIO 1220 AM KGIR.

SERIES HISTORY: Vanderbilt won the only previous meeting, 21-7, on March 14, 1989 in Nashville. Lee Lummus took the loss to drop his record to 0-2 the former Division II Southeast Missouri State Indians. At the time, SEMO fell to 2-5 early in the `89 season where they went on to finish 27-17 overall. They lost to Northwest Missouri State, 12-6, in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament on April 30, 1989.

TEAM MATCHUP: Southeast is battling to stay above .500 on the season while Vanderbilt is ranked No. 6 in the nation in the National College Baseball Writer's Association Poll. Today's game was scheduled by the teams yesterday as a result of multiple cancellations due to inclimate weather.

LAST SERIES: SEMO was only able to finish one game of the scheduled 3-game OVC set at Tennessee-Martin over the weekend. After a 3-hour, 50 minute rain delay, the Redhawks crushed the Skyhawks, 19-6, in five innings. After the game became official, umpires ended it early due to darkness and rain showers.

WAGNER HONORED: Redshirt junior first basemen Matt Wagner was named OVC Player of the Week Monday for last week's performance at the plate. In three games, he batted .625 with two home runs, one double and eight RBIs. He registered two hits, including a solo home run estimated at 425 ft. on Tuesday in game one against Missouri State. On Wednesday, he hit a clutch 3-run double to put Southeast ahead 7-6 in the bottom of the 7th inning. Saturday he hit a towering 2-run home run and was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in a run. He carries a current 10-game hitting streak into today's contest. During that span, he is hitting .410 (16-39) with four home runs, one double and 14 RBIs.

HOME RUN BIRRAGE: Redhawks hitters have blasted 28 home runs over the first 17 games, including a season-high six in the blowout victory over Tennessee Tech to open OVC play on March 21. Tyrell Cummings and Matt Wagner lead the team with six long balls. Justin Wheeler sits third on the team with four long balls while Nick Harris has gone yard three times, including his first two at-bats Saturday at Tennessee-Martin.

THREE OF A KIND: Three Redhawks were named to the Preseason All-OVC Team that was announced prior to the OVC Media Day Teleconference. Senior right-hander Dustin Renfrow, redshirt junior first basemen Matt Wagner and sophomore catcher Jim Klocke all earned a spot on the squad based on votes from the league's 10 head coaches.

HOGAN APPROACHING ANOTHER MILESTONE: Head Coach Mark Hogan is three games away from recording his 400th victory as the Southeast head coach. His Southeast record stands at 397-330-1 with the current campaign being his 14th with the program. Hogan has led SEMO to the OVC Postseason Tournament in every one of his previous 13 seasons at the helm. Last season, he became the all-time wins leader, surpassing legendary head coach Joe Uhls with his 374th career victory one year ago today.