Southeast Missouri State - March 4
In a matchup that Southeast Missouri State won in 2024 during Kerrick Jackson’s first game at Taylor Stadium, the Redhawks return to Columbia to face the Tigers once again. Head coach Andy Sawyers enters his ninth season with SEMO, hoping to secure another win in Columbia after their success last year. The Redhawks are coming off a strong 36-27 (18-9) season, where they claimed the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title and advanced to the Regional Finals, ultimately falling to Kansas State.
On the offensive side, the Redhawks will be led by many of the same players from last season, as they didn’t lose many contributors to graduation or the draft. Of the 12 players on their 2024 roster with a batting average above .260, eight are returning for 2025, including their top hitter, Ty Strauss. Strauss, who returned for a fifth year, is looking to replicate his strong 2024 season, in which he hit .329 with 17 doubles and posted a .992 OPS.
Supporting him are key returners such as outfielder Michael Mugan (.311 AVG), catcher Brooks Kettering (.308 AVG), and infielder Caleb Corbin (.310 AVG). Together, these players helped lead the Redhawks to a .290 team batting average in 2024, placing them among the top 100 in the country. Despite a large number of players seeing action last season—15 different players appeared in at least 20 games—there’s little expected change in the lineup for 2025, with only two freshman hitters on the roster.
The Redhawks' pitching staff will look similar to last year's, but they are losing more players than on the hitting side. All three of their top starters are returning and expected to maintain their roles from 2024. Haden Dow and Brian Strange were the team's workhorses, with Dow leading the way with 17 starts and a 5.13 ERA, while Strange made 16 starts with a 5.59 ERA. Sophomore Sam Heyman, who started 14 games last year, also returns. Though his 5.91 ERA was a bit high, Heyman will have the opportunity to improve if he continues in the same role.
The biggest loss for SEMO comes from their bullpen, where they are losing over 100 appearances from six graduated players. With several key contributors now gone, players who had smaller roles last year or missed time due to injury will need to step up, along with incoming freshmen and transfers. To bolster the bullpen, the Redhawks added two freshman pitchers and multiple transfers, including significant additions like Kolton Lyman (Kirkwood CC), Cameron Marchi (St. Charles CC), and freshman Matt Wnukowski. These newcomers will be crucial in helping to fill the gap left by the departed bullpen arms.
Guys to look for
- Caden Kickhaefer
- Andrew Ramirez
Binghamton - March 7-9
The Bearcats will make their way to Columbia for a three-game series against the Tigers, serving as the final tune-up before conference play. Coming off a tough 21-29 season, which ended with a first-round exit in the America East Championship tournament, head coach Tom Sinicki enters his 33rd season looking to turn the program around and get them back on track.
The biggest loss for the Bearcats offensively came when second baseman Nick Roselli was selected in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the New York Mets. Although Roselli only played 28 games in 2024, he posted an impressive 1.230 OPS with 20 extra-base hits in 40 at-bats. Despite this loss, most of the core from last season is returning for 2025. Three of the other four hitters who posted averages over .300—Devan Bade (.326), Evin Sullivan (.316), and Zach Rogacki (.310)—are all back and will lead the lineup in 2025.
Another significant loss is Mike Gunning, who finished second on the team in OPS at .277. Although his batting average was .277, Gunning’s power numbers stood out, as he led the team with 16 home runs and 104 total bases.
The Bearcats are bringing back several key players from 2024 and have also added depth to their lineup, including two bats from the transfer portal and seven freshmen, further strengthening the roster for the upcoming season.
On the pitching side, the Bearcats face challenges heading into 2025 after finishing last season with a team ERA approaching 6.00. Both of their top starters from 2024 are gone due to graduation, along with five bullpen arms. This leaves most of the pitching staff to be composed of freshmen or transfers.
The two pitchers expected to lead the staff are returners Hayden Tarsia and Ryan Bates, who were the only two pitchers to make more than five starts last season. Behind them, many of the returning pitchers are freshmen from 2024 who will be stepping into larger roles in 2025, aiming to improve on their experience.
To fill the gaps left by the departed players, the Bearcats added two transfer pitchers: a junior from Stony Brook University and a graduate student from Dayton University. However, the bulk of their pitching in 2025 will come from players who didn’t see much action last season. These new and returning arms will need to quickly adapt to head coach Tom Sinicki’s system if they hope to be successful in the upcoming season.
Guys to look for
- Sam Miller
- Ian Kaiser
- Ryan Packard
- Devan Bade