• OVC Baseball Report – February 24 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Tuesday, February 25
Murray State at Southern Illinois, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
UT Martin at Alabama, 3:00 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Tennessee Tech at Kentucky, 3:00 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Western Kentucky
at Austin Peay, 3:00 p.m.
Belmont at North Alabama, 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Wednesday, February 26
Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky, 3:00 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Friday, February 28
Southern Illinois
at Morehead State, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Siena
at Eastern Kentucky, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Bowling Green
at Murray State, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Ohio
at Southeast Missouri, 3:00 p.m.
Bradley
at Tennessee Tech, 3:00 p.m.
UNC Asheville
at Belmont, 4:00 p.m.
UT Martin at Mercer, 5:00 p.m.
Austin Peay at Jacksonville, 5:00 p.m.
Gardner-Webb
at Jacksonville State, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
SIUE at Central Arkansas, 6:00 p.m.
Eastern Illinois at Northwestern State, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 29
Siena
at Eastern Kentucky (2), 11:00 a.m.
Ohio
at Southeast Missouri (2), 12:00 p.m.
Gardner-Webb
at Jacksonville State, 1:00 p.m.
Southern Illinois
at Morehead State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
UT Martin at Mercer, 1:00 p.m.
Austin Peay at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m.
UNC Asheville
at Belmont, 2:00 p.m.
Bradley
at Tennessee Tech, 2:00 p.m.
Eastern Illinois at Northwestern State, 2:00 p.m.
Bowling Green
at Murray State, 2:00 p.m.
SIUE at Central Arkansas, 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 1
Siena
at Eastern Kentucky, 12:00 p.m.
Southern Illinois
at Morehead State, 12:00 p.m.
UT Martin at Mercer, 12:00 p.m.
Austin Peay at Jacksonville, 12:00 p.m.
Ohio
at Southeast Missouri, 1:00 p.m.
UNC Asheville
at Belmont, 1:00 p.m.
Eastern Illinois at Northwestern State, 1:00 p.m.
Gardner-Webb
at Jacksonville State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Bowling Green
at Murray State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
SIUE at Central Arkansas, 1:00 p.m.
Bradley
at Tennessee Tech, 1:00 p.m.
OVC Players of the Week
CO-PLAYER
Ryan Perkins, OF • 6-2, 230, Sr. • St. Charles, Mo. • Murray State
In five games last week Perkins hit .450 (9-for-20) with six runs scored, a double, triple, two home runs, one walk, two stolen bases, 11 RBI, a .900 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage and Murray State compiled a 4-1 record including a four-game sweep of Saint Peter's (the team's first four-game sweep since the 1983 season). Perkins had a hit in all five games to extend his hitting streak to seven games. He was 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI in the team's midweek game at Western Kentucky. In Friday's opener with Saint Peter's Perkins was 2-for-4 with a double, triple and three RBI and followed that by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run and two RBI in the second game of the series. He added a home run and three RBI in the third game of the series and closed out the weekend by a hit and run scored. Perkins leads the OVC in RBI (1.88/game) and ranks third in batting (.419) and total bases (3.25/game).
CO-PLAYER
Justin Dirden, OF • 6-4, 215, R-Sr. • O'Fallon, Mo. • Southeast Missouri
In five games last week Dirden hit .500 (10-for-20) with eight runs scored, a triple, four home runs, 10 RBI, three walks, three stolen bases, a 1.200 slugging percentage and .538 on-base percentage. After a hit and run scored in the team's midweek game at Kentucky, the redshirt senior had two hits and a RBI in the first game of the Northern Illinois series. He drove in two more runs in the second game against NIU and then exploded by going 4-for-5 with four runs scored, two home runs, two walks and four RBI in a 16-15 extra-inning win on Saturday. In that game the Redhawks scored nine runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 15; the inning was punctuated by Dirden's game-tying two-run home run. He closed the weekend by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two home runs and three RBI against Northern Illinois on Sunday. Dirden has a seven-game hitting streak and leads the OVC in runs scored (1.38/game) and is second in home runs (0.63/game), RBI (1.50/game), total bases (3.75/game) and slugging (.909).
Others Nominated: Logan Jarvis, Belmont; Trey Sweeney, Eastern Illinois; A.J. Lewis, Eastern Kentucky; Brody Shoupe, Morehead State; Jason Hinchman, Tennessee Tech.
PITCHER
Kyle Brennan, RHP • 5-10, 180, Jr. • Franklin, Tenn. • Belmont
Brennan recorded two wins and two saves as Belmont compiled a 5-0 record, including three walk-off victories. In 5.2 innings he did not allow a run while striking out seven. The junior had a save in Belmont's 4-3 win over Southern Illinois to begin the week; he struck out one in one inning of work against the Salukis. Two days later he pitched the final 1.1 innings against Samford, striking out two in picking up another save. On Friday he combined with two other pitchers in an 11-inning 1-0 shutout over Missouri State. Brennan pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing three hits while striking out three. He capped the week by pitching the final inning in the Bruins' 8-7 win over Bradley; Brennan struck out one in one inning of work. Brennan now ranks eighth on Belmont's all-time saves list (13). In five appearances in 2020, the junior has a 1.00 E.R.A. and shares the OVC lead in both wins (2) and saves (2).
Others Nominated: Will Klein, Eastern Illinois; Brennan Kelly/Louis Davenport III/Jye Deeble/Darren Williams/Jacob Abbott, Eastern Kentucky; Dylan Hathcock, Jacksonville State; Cory Conway, Morehead State; Trevor McMurray, Murray State; Dylan Dodd, Southeast Missouri; Kenny Serwa, SIUE; Nick Wohlbold, UT Martin.