AP Sports Preview

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Interstat) — Southeast Missouri State hosts Austin Peay on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the finale of a two-game series at Capaha Field. The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid-70s.

The Redhawks (31-16) enter with the better overall record, while the Governors (23-24) look to snap a two-game slide. Southeast Missouri dropped Sunday’s series opener at Eastern Illinois 8-3, and Austin Peay lost at home to Central Arkansas 8-7 on Sunday.

Wednesday’s pitching matchup features a pair of relievers who have been used in short outings recently. Austin Peay right-hander Colin Carney (0-1, 4.50 ERA) has not allowed an earned run over his past two appearances, spanning 4 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts. He last pitched Sunday against Central Arkansas, throwing 2 1/3 innings of one-hit ball with no earned runs and three strikeouts. Carney also worked a scoreless inning at Western Kentucky on April 22 and struck out one in 2 1/3 innings against Tennessee Tech on April 14.

Southeast Missouri right-hander Andrew Carroll (2-4, 6.75) lasted five innings Sunday at Eastern Illinois, allowing two earned runs on no hits with one strikeout. Carroll has struggled with control, giving up five earned runs over 4 1/3 innings against SIU Edwardsville on April 26 and three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings at Tennessee Tech on April 18.

The teams met Tuesday in the series opener, but no score was immediately available. In Austin Peay’s 8-7 loss Sunday, Carney earned the hold with his scoreless relief, while Ty Wisdom hit a home run and drove in three runs, and Cole Johnson added a homer and two RBIs. For Southeast Missouri in Sunday’s loss, Carroll started and went five innings, while relievers Caden Kickhaefer and Ranard Grace combined for two scoreless frames.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, Southeast Missouri is projected to win 7-6.

Austin Peay will return home to face Eastern Kentucky in a three-game series starting Friday. Southeast Missouri hosts Southern Indiana for a three-game set beginning Friday.