Game 40 • SEMO • Cape Girardeau, Mo.
at SEMO (22-14, OVC 7-4) - Tuesday, April 19, 5 p.m.
Fr. RHP Cody Woodhouse (0-0, 4.61 ERA) vs. Sr. RHP Nick Thomas (1-2, 6.58 ERA)
GAME TIME: The Arkansas State baseball team hits the road to go face Southeast Missouri State in the second game of a home and home series. SEMO beat ASU 8-5 at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field on April 5. Game time on Tuesday is set for 5 p.m. against the Redhawks.
THE OPPONENT: Senior left fielder Michael Adamson leads the team with a .358 batting average, 53 hits and is tied for the lead with 28 RBI and ranks second with 36 runs scored. Junior third baseman Trenton Moses ranks second on the team with a .351 batting average with 40 hits and is tied with Adamson for the lead on the squad with 28 RBI. Junior shortstop Kenton Parmley ranks second on the team with 44 hits and leads the squad with 11 doubles. He leads the team with 39 runs scored and owns a .308 batting average.
As a team, SEMO owns a .309 batting average with a 4.33 team ERA. ASU will face senior right hander Nick Thomas in only his fifth start of the season. Thomas owns a 1-2 record in 11 appearances and has pitched 26.0 innings this season with 12 strikeouts and has held opponents to .340 batting averages.
THE SERIES: The Red Wolves lead the all-time series against SEMO 30-27 dating back to the 1959 season. ASU split the series with SEMO last season with each squad winning the home contest. A-State won 9-5 at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field and dropped a 4-5 decision in Cape Girardeau. Earlier this season SEMO took an 8-5 victory over the Red Wolves at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field on April 5.
LAST GAME: ASU battled, with the lead changing hands three times in the final two innings but the Red Wolves were unable to retake the lead in the ninth falling to Southeast Missouri, 8-5, at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field.
ASU took the lead, scoring three runs in the fourth inning when Ryan Emery singled-home Zach George and Todd Baumgartner. Logan Uxa then hit an RBI single to bring in Emery and give the Red Wolves a 3-0 lead after four. George, led the inning off with a single which was the first given up by the Redhawks in the contest.
SEMO scored two runs in the seventh inning when Brett Russell scored on an error and then Trent Moses singled up the middle to score Ky Burgess moving the Redhawks to within one run of the Red Wolves, 3-2.
SEMO scored two more runs in the eighth inning on RBI singles by Burgess and Jesse Tierney and scored four in the ninth inning on one hit and three Red Wolves Errors.
ASU retook the lead in the bottom of the eighth on an Uxa RBI single through the left side which plated Emery and Baumgartner.
The Red Wolves had two runners on when George and Baumgartner were walked with two outs in the inning but were stranded when Jordan Castaldo struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Red Wolves used seven pitchers, none throwing more than 2.0 innings. Bradley Wallace, Sam Jew, Cory Kyle and Daniel Wright each threw scoreless innings for the Red Wolves. Baumgartner took his first decision throwing the ninth inning striking out one and giving up four runs, only one of which was earned, on one hit.
Uxa went 2-4 from the plate with three RBI to lead ASU at the plate. Baumgartner went 2-3 with two run scored from the plate
MEMPHIS SWEEP: ASU swept its midweek series against Memphis by scores of 9-8 at FedEx Field and 5-4 in Jonesboro. In the series, Smith, Uxa, Faulkner and Emery each recorded three hits while Faulkner led the squad with three RBI.
SBC SERIES WIN: ASU picked up two wins over Louisiana-Monroe this past weekend to pick up its first Sun Belt Conference series win of the season with wins of 13-2 on Friday and 13-3 on Sunday. The wins improved the Red Wolves
HOME RUN OUTPUT: Against ULM the Red Wolves hit six home runs over the weekend with Baumgartner and Uxa each hitting two and Castaldo and Smith each adding one. The six home runs was the same total that the Red Wolves had hit on the season entering the weekend. So, in one weekend, ASU doubled its output for home runs on the campaign.
HITTING THEIR STRIDE: During their seven game losing streak, the Red Wolves posted 19 runs scored over that period. During their three-game set at ULM ASU posted 33 runs scored. The Red Wolves also had its most productive hitting weekend of the series as they posted 43 hits during its weekend against the Warhawks. Their next most-productive weekend was when they put up 42 hits against Louisiana-Lafayette.
FAULKNER NAMED POW: Arkansas State sophomore Michael Falkner was named the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Player of the Week for the competition week of March 20-27 announced the league office Monday.
Faulkner went 11-17 from the plate to lead ASU with a .647 batting average and a.882 slugging percentage. He also scored six runs and drove in seven RBI while going 3-3 on stolen base attempts as he helped ASU to a 2-2 record on the week.
Faulkner was perfect at the plate in the first half of ASU's twin bill against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday going 4-4 from the plate with three RBI and three runs scored. The week also saw Faulkner's return to the ASU defense after a shoulder injury kept him in a strictly offensive role for the Red Wolves for the past few weeks.
ASU continues action on Tuesday when they travel to Edwardsville, Ill. for a two-game midweek series against SIU Edwardsville. First pitch on Tuesday against the Cougars is set for 6 p.m.
BAUMGARTNER STREAK: Senior outfielder Todd Baumgartner team-high 14-game hitting streak was snapped at SIU-Edwardsville this past week in front of his home town crowd. Baumgartner's streak was the third longest on the team this season.
FAULKNER'S TRIPLE DOUBLES: Sophomore outfielder/DH Michael Faulkner picked up his first three doubles of the season legging out a trio of extra-base hits against Lyon College in midweek action. During that game Faulkner also recorded two RBI and two runs scored while also stealing a base.
BAUMGARTNER INSIDE THE PARK: Senior outfielder Todd Baumgartner recorded a rare feat legging out an inside the park home run against Lyon College. It was Baumgartner's second home run of the season. During that contest Baumgartner went 2-4 from the plate with four RBI and two runs scored.
CONFERENCE OPENER: ASU picked up an 11-5 win in its Sun Belt Conference opener against UALR. The Trojans picked up a pair of wins on Saturday and Sunday both wins coming on walk-off singles in the ninth inning to take the series, 1-2.
CASTALDO STREAK: Senior first baseman Jordan Castaldo's hitting streak came to an end against Austin Peay but not before he extended it to 24-games which puts him alone in second-place on the all-time leader board behind Kevin Tate who had the longest hitting streak in school history with a 28-game streak in 1991.
BAUMGARTNER GOES 5-5: Senior outfielder Todd Baumgartner went 5-5 against Austin Peay in Friday night's action including picking up two doubles, four runs scored and an RBI.
SEASON SWEEP: With its 5-1 win over Murray State a couple of weeks ago, the Red Wolves completed a season-sweep of the Thoroughbreds. Earlier this season ASU picked up an 8-4 win at Tomlinson Stadium over Murray earlier this season.
LEE PRESEASON SBC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Arkansas State junior starting pitcher Jacob Lee was named the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year announced the league last week. Lee also earned a Preseason All-Conference nod.
Lee is the top returning pitcher for the Red Wolves from last season whose pitching staff ranked third in the Sun Belt Conference. Lee had a team-best 3.80 ERA and worked to a 8-3 record including 92.1 innings pitched. Lee struck out a team-best 83 batters and held opponents to a .246 batting average. He owned a 6-2 record in league play and helped the Red Wolves to a 12-2 victory against Troy in the 2010 Sun Belt Conference tournament for which he earned all-tournament honors.
BAUMGARTNER EARNS ALL-CONFERENCE NOD: Senior outfielder Todd Baumgartner was named to the Sun Belt Conference preseason all-conference team. Baumgartner has one of the top returning bats for the Red Wolves and was a 2010 All-Sun Belt Conference selection. Last season, Baumgartner ranked second on the team with 42 RBI and had a .336 batting average. He also had 74 hits, 49 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. In the field, he was nearly perfect committing just one error in 112 chances for a .991 fielding percentage.
BASEBALL AMERICA ALL-SBC PRESEASON: Sophomore outfielder and junior RHP Jacob Lee earned preseason all-SBC honors by Baseball America. The Red Wolves were tabbed to finish sixth in the standings while Faulkner was called the best leadoff hitter in the league by Baseball America and Lee was tabbed as the second best pro prospect in the conference.
TOP RETURNERS: Although the Red Wolves lost its top bat from last year to the Kansas City Royals organization, ASU returns three of its top four batters from last year. Senior infielder Jordan Castaldo has ASU's top returning bat with a .363 batting average from last season. Castaldo had 74 hits with 30 runs scored and 39 RBI. Castaldo led ASU with 20 doubles and two home runs.
Todd Baumgartner was named preseason all-conference and ranks second among ASU returners with a .336 batting average with 84 hits, 49 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. He also was nearly perfect in the field with a .991 fielding percentage.
Michael Faulkner earned all-tournament honors last season after posting a .336 batting average which ranks second among returners and was third last year as a true freshman in 2010. Faulkner has 23 stolen bases last year and 55 runs scored on 81 hits. He also had 25 RBI.
On the hill, ASU gets a pair of hot starters back in senior Andy Ferguson and junior Jacob Lee, who was named SBC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Ferguson started in 15 games for the Red Wolves and made 16 appearances overall as the Red Wolves usual Friday night starter, he led the Red Wolves starters with 101.1 innings pitched surrendering just 118 hits and 53 earned runs for a 4.71 ERA and is one of the Red Wolves top returning pitchers from last year. He pitched one complete game and shared a shutout. Walked just 30 batters on the year and held opposing batters to just .291 batting average while recording 74 strikeouts
DICKINSON NAMED ASSISTANT COACH: Dickinson brings 10 years of coaching experience to the Red Wolves including four years at the Division I level working as a pitching coach at the University of Washington. During his career, Dickinson has worked with numerous Major League Baseball prospects including 2010 MLB All-Stars Tim Lincecum, John Lester and Evan Meek.
Overall, Dickinson coached 13 drafted pitchers including a first and second round pick while at Washington. Dickinson served as an assistant coach at Montesano High School in 2009-10 where he led the squad to a 21-4 first-place league finish and an appearance in the state playoffs.
Prior to his appointment at Washington, Dickinson served as head coach at Edmonds Community College where he led the squad to a third-place finish in the NWAACC Tournament and a 75-16 record as head coach, including a 40-8 conference mark.
Dickinson also served as head coach at Skyline High School in Issaquah in 2003, guiding the team to a 14-7 overall mark and a 13-5 conference record. He also served as pitching coach at Edmonds CC in 2000 and 2001.
Aside from his work at Edmonds and Skyline, Dickinson has also served as pitching coach at Taylor Baseball, a top youth summer program, since 2001. Taylor took third place in the national AAU tournament in 2001 and in 2002, finished second at the USA Baseball Federation national tournament. During the 2005 summer season, Taylor finished second at the USABF World Series and completed the season with a 59-7-1 record.
A native of Aberdeen, Wash., Dickinson graduated from Montesano High in 1994. After one year at Green River CC, he played three seasons of college baseball as a pitcher at Alabama-Birmingham, lettering in 1996, 1997 and 1998. In 1999, he earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education from UAB.
