Coming off a season in which they missed the National Club Baseball Association District VI South Division title, Southeast Missouri State University club baseball is hopeful that resurgence will lead them back to prominence this season.

"We missed the playoffs for less than a half a game so our expectations are to win districts," vice president Stephanie Pulver said. "The last two seasons we should've gone."

Southeast was scheduled to play Central Missouri on April 29 last season, but the game was cancelled due to rain. The game arguably ruined the season.

"Last season we were unable to make up one game due to rain and that made all the difference," Pulver said.

The rain out held them one game shy from advancing to the South Division title and possibly a World Series berth.

In the Redhawks' 2011 spring season in the NCBA, there was a controversy over games played against Pulaski Tech. Southeast did not have its team roster up on the NCBA website, so they were forced to forfeit all games that took place while their roster was not posted.

"They found out that we didn't have all of our paperwork in and they went to the guy above the coordinator, so we had to forfeit those games," Pulver said.

The Redhawks finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 12-6.

While the technicality led the season to disappointment, the players are happy to turn the page and begin a new season.

"It's a big year for us," Southeast second baseman Ryan Dudley said. "It's do or die. The past two years we've come short, and we're going to win our division and do some big things in the World Series."

The purpose of club baseball is to give college students an opportunity to play at a high level of collegiate baseball. Unlike Division I, II and III, who are sanctioned by the NCAA, club teams are not regulated by the NCAA and are formed by students and sponsored by the university. Club teams also pay out of the pocket or raise money through fundraisers to travel to other colleges. Club sports do have tryouts but the NCAA hold walk-on tryouts.

"We just buck up and pay, it's kind of a dedication thing," Dudley said. "It gives you a chance to play and I didn't get a chance to play college ball, obviously."

Dudley held a .300 batting average and played in the outfield last year, but he will take a new role at second base this season.

"I like the short throws," Dudley said as he laughed.

Pulaski Tech, Central Missouri, Missouri State and the University of Arkansas are in Southeast's District VI South Division.

The team that wins the division will play the winner of the District VI North Division, made up of Saint Louis University, SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, Indiana State and the University of Illinois. The team that wins the district will play in the 2013 NCBA Division II World Series on May 17-21 in Paducah, Ky.

"We've gotten better every year," Pulver said. "We're definitely better this year than we ever have been. The amount of rookie talent we have coming in, especially in the pitching rotation is amazing."

The Redhawks are scheduled to play their first doubleheader against McKendree University at 1 p.m. March 9 at the Shawnee Park Sports Complex in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The second game will start at 3 p.m.

"They're a good group of guys, and it's all fun," Dudley said. "It's even funner when you have good guys playing with you."

To read more information about the NCBA, visit clubbaseball.org.