Cape Girardeau, Mo. (June 10, 2003) - For the fourth straight year, the pitching staff for the Southeast Missouri Indians is the Ohio Valley Conference's best as they have the top ERA as well as win-loss record in the league.

Pitchers Tim Alvarez (14-3), Ryan Forsyth (5-2), Bill Clayton (4-3), and Stan Skakalski (4-1) led a starting rotation that went 27-9 on the season. The four, led by Alvarez's 2.74 ERA had a combined ERA of 4.33 and struck out 200 batters between them. Add in Jon Nourie's 65 strikeouts in 50 innings, the Indians, as a team had a 7.41 strikeout per nine inning average, as well as nearly a 2 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio.

Southeast had a team ERA of 5.12 and an opponent's batting average of .269, leading the league in both categories for the fourth consecutive season. Alvarez became the third OVC Pitcher of the Year in a row for the Tribe joining Todd Pennington in 2001 and Brad Purcell last season. Add in Ryan Spille in 1998 the Indians have had four of the last six OVC Pitchers of the Year.

Alvarez set a new team record in wins this season for the Tribe with 14, currently second in the nation, and also tied a conference mark. He also became the first-ever pitcher to throw a no-hitter in OVC Tournament play. Alvarez, who was recently drafted in the 36th round of the MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants, gives all of the credit for his success to pitching coach Jeremy Tyson.

"Had it not been for him turning me into a pitcher last year, I probably would not have even played this season at Southeast," Alvarez said. "I was hitting so bad that I have no doubt that I would not have been playing any position. He's great to the pitchers and calls probably the best game I've ever seen."

Alvarez is one of three-straight pitchers to be drafted after being tutored by Tyson. Two seasons ago Todd Pennington was taken by the Cleveland Indians and last season Brandon Smith was selected by the Boston Red Sox. Pennington is currently 1-1 with 11 saves and a .86 ERA for the Single A Lake County Captains. He led the nation his junior year with a 1.33 ERA. Tyson was modest and said he's been blessed with talent that he hasn't had to coach much.

"I have had some really good kids come through here," he said. "I think it's a testament to the system and shows the level of talent we have. The level of competition they compete at and the work ethic they show compares only with the nation's elite."

The level of talented pitchers Tyson has worked with can be directly linked to the hard work he has done in recruiting, and that will not change this season as he has once again signed an amazing crew of pitchers for the 2004 season.