Feb. 5, 2004

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - The Southeast Missouri State baseball team was picked to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference, as voted on by the OVC head baseball coaches. The Indians finished with 71 points, just two behind first place Jacksonville State.

The Indians received three first-place votes in the poll, just two behind JSU. Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky received one first place vote each, as they finished third and fourth in the poll, respectively.

Southeast will bring back six pitchers from last year's squad, as well as starts Gary Gilbert and Aaron Fangman. Gilbert hit better than .300 last year, with three home runs and 27 RBI. Fangman posted a .276 batting average during the 2003 campaign.

The Indians begin their season on the road at the University of Oklahoma Feb. 21-23. They stay on the road after that to play Arkansas State, followed by the University of Mississippi. As always, the Southeast squad will play a tough non-conference schedule that will also include games against Alabama, Oklahoma State and Evansville, as well as regional rivals Southern Illinois, Southwest Missouri State, St. Louis University, and Missouri.

The Indians' first home game will be double-header March 6 against Bresca at 1:00 p.m. at Capaha Field.

Southeast Opens up Conference play March 27 against Murray State.

(see official poll results below)

2004 OVC BASEBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted by the OVC head baseball coaches)

TEAM							POINTS
1.   Jacksonville State (5 first-place votes)		73
2.   Southeast Missouri State (3 first-place votes)	71
3.   Austin Peay (1 first-place vote)			69
4.   Eastern Kentucky (1 first-place vote)		51
5.   Eastern Illinois					48
6.   Samford						40
7.   Tennessee Tech					39
8.   Murray State					31
9.   Morehead State					15
10. Tennessee-Martin					13

(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)