May 27, 2007

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Sotuheast Missouri State Redhawks freshman catcher Jim Klocke was named to the 2007 O'Reilly Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team as the utility player Saturday upon the conclusion of the conference tournament championship game.

Klocke, who was named OVC Freshman of the Year Tuesday at the annual end-of-the-season awards banquet, justified the award the next day in the Redhawks' opening round game against Murray State. The freshman catcher stroked a season-high four hits. Included in his four hits was a solo home run in the fourth inning, his fourth of the season, that jump-started a six-run inning for Southeast as they eventually would defeat the Thoroughbreds, 10-7.

The St. Louis, Mo., native started all three of the Redhawks' tournament games behind the plate, and he was 5-for-10 at the plate. The left-handed batter hit one home run, drove in two RBIs and scored twice. Klocke, who entered the tournament ranked second in the OVC in walks, also drew one base on balls. Behind the plate, the freshman did not commit any errors, and he threw out one of the two runners attempting to steal against him.

Klocke, who played in every game for the Redhawks this season and started all but two of them behind the plate, finished the season second on the squad batting for a .324 clip. He slugged 10 doubles and two home runs, while driving in 38 RBIs and scoring 38 runs. His 34 walks and .443 on-base percentage both rank highest among all Southeast batters, and the freshman struck out only 13 times all season, fewest among the team's regulars.

Southeast was eliminated form the OVC tournament Friday afternoon in a 5-1 loss to the Samford Bulldogs. No. 1 Austin Peay won the tournament championship Saturday and will advance to the NCAA Regional bracket. The Redhawks finished the season with 32 wins, its most since the 2002 season.