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Cape Girardeau, Mo. (May 28, 2002) - Fresh off the OVC Tournament and Regular Season Titles, the Southeast Missouri State Indians Baseball team will now set its sites on a regional title as they head to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama in the 2002 NCAA Regional Championships.

Joining Southeast in the Regional will be the host University of Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn University Tigers, and Florida Atlantic Owls. Southeast will face off against Alabama and Florida Atlantic and Auburn will be the other first-day game.

Alabama is the Southeastern Conference Tournament Champions and were first in the Western Division during the regular season. They are the third ranked team in the Tournament, first in the region, and sport a 22-10 conference record and a 48-13 overall mark. Auburn is the second seed in the region. They were 15-15 in the conference and 34-24 overall this season. Florida Atlantic is the Atlantic Sun Conference runner-ups in both the regular season and the conference tournament. They were 43-18 overall and 22-8 in the conference.

The Indians are coming off their second OVC Conference Tournament Championship after a 13-1 win over Tennessee Tech in the Finals of the Tournament.

Southeast won its first game of the tournament over Morehead State. They then lost in extra's to Murray State after a disputed call. Southeast then fought out of the losers bracket and won two games on Friday over Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech, then routed Tech in the finals of the Tournament for the Title.

Southeast now travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama in the 2002 NCAA Regionals. The two teams have never met.

Southeast is being led offensively by senior centerfielder Vern Hatton. Hatton is leading the team in nine different offensive categories including average (.385), runs scored (57), hits (80), doubles (17), triples (9), total bases (139), slugging (.668), and hit by pitch (10). Junior catcher Tristen McDonald is batting .356 and leads the team in home runs with 10. Junior third baseman Denver Stuckey is on a tear as of late raising his batting average to .355. He has 18stolen bases on the season and 16 doubles to go with his five home runs.

Senior Brad Purcell continues to lead the Tribe's pitching staff. He is 12-2 and leads the team with 97strikeouts. He leads the conference with 110 innings pitched. Smith has a 11-2 record and 78 strikeouts on the season. Junior Tim Alvarez is holding batters to a team-low .226 average.

The Indians had three representatives on the All-Conference first team in outfielder Vern Hatton, third baseman Denver Stuckey and pitcher Brad Purcell. Purcell was the Pitcher of the Year and Head Coach Mark Hogan was the league's Coach of the Year.

The Tribe also had five different players on the All-Tournament Team. Catcher Tristen McDonald, second baseman Clemente Bonilla, shortstop Zach Borowiak, outfielder Vern Hatton, and pitcher Brad Purcell all made the team. Bonilla was the Tournament MVP.