14 May 2025 Trojans face SEMO in critical OVC road series

Posted at 7:54 PMh in Sports by

Trojan baseball wraps up its Ohio Valley Conference regular season in Cape Girardeau, Mo., at Capaha Field with a three-game series against SEMO starting at 6 p.m., Thursday. The two teams meet at the same time on Friday with a 2 p.m., Saturday finale scheduled. There will be no ESPN+ broadcast but Trojan fans can listen to the games here. 

UA Little Rock Baseball action during the Trojans game against SIUE _ Photo by Beatriz Garcia

The series has major implications for the Trojans as they sit in eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with an 8-13 record. Western Illinois, who the Trojans took two of three games from, sits in ninth with a 9-15 mark. WIU plays at in-state rival Eastern Illinois. EIU currently is in a three-way tie for first. 

SEMO, the defending OVC Tournament champ, has had some tough luck lately as it’s riding a six-game losing streak but is hoping to move up in the standings.  The Redhawks are only one game behind fourth-place Lindenwood. 

The Trojans are 5-10 all-time against SEMO and 1-6 in games played at Cape Girardeau. Little Rock is 2-4 in OVC games against the Redhawks since joining the league two years ago. However, they have taken two of the past three meetings. 

The Redhawks have been swept in its past two series to Tennessee Tech and Southern Indiana, respectively. 

SEMO, who won bounced Arkansas from the NCAA Regional last spring, is last in the Ohio Valley Conference in hitting but No. 1 in pitching. The Redhawks hit .264 as a team. Its team ERA is 4.76. Opponents hit .263 against them. 

Senior Haden Down leads the SEMO pitchers with a 4-4 record and 3.19 ERA which is good for No. 2 in the OVC. He’s held opposing hitters to a .211 batting average. Junior Nathan Martens is No. 3 in total pitching in the OVC with a 3.30 ERA and .235 opposition batting average. He is 6-2 on the season.

The game also marks the first meeting of two members of the respective coaching staffs who have deep ties. SEMO associate head coach Trevor Ezell grew up in Bryant with first-year Trojans player development coach Evan Lee. The two both played at of Arkansas. Ezell began his career at SEMO before enjoying a banner year with the Hogs in 2019. 

The OVC Tournament opens next Wednesday at Mountain Dew Park in Marion, Ill. Bracket scheduling will be completed Saturday night by league officials.