SEMO Baseball Team Struggles

SEMO Baseball Photos from Wayne McPherson

Nearly every road game the Southeast Missouri State baseball team plays Wayne McPherson sends in pictures.

We can't thank him enough.

I had a few extra minutes to spare so I edited the pictures from this weekends games at Louisiana-Lafayette together with some music.

Again...Thanks go out to Wayne McPherson...

SEMO took two of three in the weekend series to begin the season 2-1.

New bats for college baseball

The landscape of college baseball is changing.

Beginning this season teams will use a bat which plays more like wood.  The balls do not come off the newer bat as fast which makes the game safer for fielders and we probably  won't see as much offense this season.

Players and coaches will have to adjust to a time limit as well as the new bats this season.
With no one on base pitchers have 20 seconds to deliver a pitch.  They get one warning then the batter will be awarded a ball.

The new rule works both ways... If the batter is the cause of a pitch not thrown in the 20 second limit he will be given a strike.  Like the pitcher, hitters are given a warning.

If college baseball games are shortened and the focus is put on pitching & defense I'm a huge fan of the new rules.  Maybe that is my National League roots showing....But I''l take a 4-3 game in less than three hours any day.

SEMO hires new pitching coach

The Southeast Missouri State baseball programs adds a familiar face with the hiring of Steve Bieser. The newest addition to head coach Mark Hogans staff will take over pitching coach duties. Bieser, who graduated from SEMO in 1989, brings big league experience to the Redhawks.

by Bo Bunton / SEMOSports Information

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.- Baseball head coach Mark Hogan has announced the hiring of a pitching coach, Steve Bieser.

Hogan had this to say,

"Steve is a great hire for our program and being able to bring one of our alumni back to work with our organization is very exciting. His successes at every level of baseball speak for themselves. His leadership and player development skills are exceptional and we welcome Steve and his family back to Cape Girardeau."

Bieser, a native of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, comes to Cape Girardeau after a very successful coaching career at St. John Vianney High. In seven seasons at the St. Louis school, he compiled a 137-51 record, along with two state championships in 2004 and 2006.

In 2009, he took over the Danville Dans of the Prospect League and currently coaches two Redhawk players, Cole Bieser and Jesse Tierney.

Bieser has coached five players selected in the first year major league player draft (1st, 5th, 22st, 22nd, & 42nd rounds). Over 80% of his high school players have gone on to play college ball with 12 playing at the Division 1 level, 4 attaining freshmen All-American status, and one named a two-time All-American.

As a player, Bieser graduated from Southeast Missouri State in the spring of 1989, and was drafted in the 32nd round of the 1989 June draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. On April 1, 1997, Bieser made his major league debut with the New York Mets. He appeared in 47 games that year, primarily as a utility player.

He is known for his ability to play multiple positions, catching and playing outfield with the big league club. He also spent some time on the mound that year in the farm system.

He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, and appeared in 13 games. He ended his major league career with a .250 batting average, a .351 on-base percentage, and a .300 slugging percentage in 80 major league at-bats. Bieser ended his professional career in 2001 in a Memphis Redbirds uniform.

"I'm really excited and can't wait to get to work. It's great to get back to the place where my baseball career started," said Bieser. "This is something I've been considering for a long time and I look forward to this opportunity."

Bieser and his wife, Diahann, have a son (Cole) and three daughters, Whitley (15), Briley (12) and Carley (4).