Feb. 27, 2009

Game Notes

REDHAWKS START HOT: Southeast began the 2009 campaign by taking two of three at No. 16 Alabama. They also defeated Lyon College, 11-6, in the home opener Tuesday afternoon. SEMO is hitting .324 as a team with 10 extra base hits, including six home runs, five of which came in the first three innings Tuesday. They are holding opponents to a .254 batting average. Redhawks pitchers have a combined 3.86 ERA while opposing pitchers have registered a 6.69 ERA.

SCOUTING PURDUE: The Boilermakers went 1-3 last weekend in the Big East/Big Ten Challenge in St. Petersburg, Fla. They won their season opener against Cincinnati, 11-10, before dropping the final three contests by just a combined eight runs. As a team, they are batting .294 while opponents have hit .368 against them. Their pitching staff carries a 6.87 team ERA while against their counterparts who have posted a 4.06 ERA.

SEMO-PURDUE HISTORY: Friday's doubleheader will mark the first meeting between Southeast and Purdue. The Redhawks are 6-6 overall against Big Ten Conference opponents, going 5-6 against Iowa and 1-0 versus Northwestern.

PENDING WEATHER PROMPTS SCHEDULE CHANGE: Due to expected cold weather with a chance of snow Saturday, both teams agreed to play a doubleheader Friday with two 9-inning games and the start time moved up an hour to 1 p.m. Single games are still scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

HOGAN RETURNS FOR 15TH SEASON: Head Coach Mark Hogan enters his 15th season as the Southeast head baseball coach. He is the all-time wins leader and the only head coach in Southeast history with over 400 wins. He is currently 416-349-1 in leading the Southeast program.

2008 RECAP: Southeast finished second in the 2008 OVC Tournament, falling to Eastern Illinois in the championship round. They finished the season 26-26 overall, 12-13 in the OVC, 14-13 at home and 9-11 on the road.

KLOCKE, LEIGH SWEEP OVC WEEKLY AWARDS: Jim Klocke and James Leigh captured OVC Player & Pithcer of the Week honors. Klocke drove in a team-high six RBIs as Southeast won two of three games against No. 16 Alabama in Tuscaloosa this past weekend. In Sunday's rubber game, Klocke had a 2-run double and 2-run triple to help the Redhawks to an 8-4 victory. The catcher also moved to the mound and pitched the final two innings, allowing only one hit and striking out four. In Saturday's 8-4 win, Klocke added two hits and two RBIs. For the week he was 5-of-15 (.333) with three runs scored.

Klocke was named a Preseason All-American by Ping!Baseball and was named first-team All-OVC last season and OVC Freshman of the Year in 2007. For his career, he hits .340 with 18 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 85 RBIs. His career 70 walks ranks ninth in Southeast history.

Leigh pitched 7.1 innings of relief on Saturday as Southeast Missouri topped No. 16 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Leigh took over in the second inning and forced a fly ball to get out of the inning. He then retired 15 of the next 19 batters he faced in picking up his first victory of the season. Leigh allowed six hits, one earned run, struck out seven and allowed only one walk. For the weekend the Redhawks took two of three games from the Crimson Tide.

COACHING STAFF ADDITIONS: Rick McCarty and Lance Rhodes join the Redhawks coaching staff for the 2009 season. McCarty, who handles the pitching staff, came to Southeast after coaching the last five seasons at perennial Division II powerhouse Delta State. He is a former closer at Murray State and is still tied for the school's single-season record in saves. Rhodes joined the staff as a volunteer assistant after concluding his collegiate career for the Redhawks in 2008. The right-handed reliever led all Southeast relievers with 22 appearances, four victories and 43.1 innings pitched last season. He will work with the outfielders and will also coach first base. McCarty and Rhodes replace Jeff Dodson and J.C. Field, who became the head coach and lead assistant at the University of North Dakota.

Chris Cafalone also returns for his third season as an assistant coach handling infielders and batters. In each of his first two seasons on the Southeast coaching staff, the Redhawks have set school records for fielding percentage under Cafalone's direction. In 2008, they set a new high with a .968 mark, topping the .965 from the previous season.

THREE AUTOMATIC PRESEASON ALL-OVC SELECTIONS: Catcher Jim Klocke, first basemen Matt Wagner and right fielder Tyrell Cummings were all automatic selections for the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason All-Conference Team after being selected first-team All-OVC in 2008. Klocke batted .357 with seven doubles, six home runs, 40 RBIs and 35 walks last season. Wagner, a former transfer from the University of Nebraska, hit .337 with 11 home runs, nine doubles and 57 RBIs a year ago. Cummings led the team with 16 doubles, 12 home runs and 58 RBIs in his first season after transferring from Seminole State Junior College.

REDHAWKS RETURN 7 POSITION STARTERS: Southeast returns seven position players who were regular starters in 2008. Former Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans Jim Klocke and Nick Harris lead the way along with 2008 first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference selections Matt Wagner and Tyrell Cummings. Trenton Moses earned a spot on the 2008 OVC All-Newcomer Team while Justin Wheeler and Tony Spencer are versatile players that have produced at the plate and in the field. Freshman Kenton Parmley will be the lone newcomer and will start at shortstop. He was a first-team all state shortstop at Goreville High School in Goreville, Ill., during his prep career.

HERZOG SPEAKS TO TEAM: Redhawks players got an unexpected visit from former Major League Baseball manager Whitey Herzog on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Herzog's visit was arranged by head coach Mark Hogan, who is a longtime friend of the legendary skipper. Herzog has appeared at golf tournaments and other functions to support the Southeast baseball program in past years.

HARRIS/KLOCKE JOIN RELIEVERS: Junior center fielder Nick Harris and catcher Jim Klocke will also see time on the mound for the first time during their careers. Harris begins the season as the closer while Klocke figures to make relief appearances as well. Both players enjoyed pitching success during their prep careers. Harris was the closer at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala., while Klocke saw extensive time on the mound en route to being named the 2006 Missouri High School Player of the Year. Klocked worked two scoreless innings to close out the series finale at Alabama while Harris pitched the final inning Tuesday against Lyon without allowing a run.