A well-armed Southeast team opens season today

Southeast Missouri State baseball coach Mark Hogan believes pitching -- as well as patience -- will be major keys for his team this year.

The Redhawks, who open the season today with a 3 p.m. game at Arkansas State (1-0), have an experienced rotation but little experience around the field.

"I think our pitching will be solid, especially with our top three. Overall, up and down, we probably will have more velocity than we've ever had," Hogan said. "Around the field, we don't have much Division I experience.

"Patience will be a big thing. It is for me. Hopefully our pitching will hold us in there early. I think by the second half of the season we'll be right there."

The Redhawks, despite being highly regarded last year, never lived up to expectations. They went 24-32 overall and 15-11 in the Ohio Valley Conference, good for a fourth-place tie. They then were eliminated from the OVC tournament in two games.

It was Southeast's first losing season since 1997, and only their third losing mark under Hogan, who is 332-265 entering his 12th season.

"We played a very tough early schedule, and we just never seemed to really click," said Hogan, a Cape Girardeau native and Southeast graduate who has led his alma mater to a pair of OVC titles and NCAA regional berths.

But Hogan hopes the Redhawks can rebound with the aforementioned strong pitching and an infusion of new blood.

The Redhawks have just eight seniors on their 31-man roster, and four of those are pitchers. They have eight freshmen -- including one redshirt -- and nine other new players.

"This group is really exciting because of the talent pool of younger players," Hogan said. "Some guys, in three, four years, if they stay healthy, we could be talking about some of the all-time greats here."

Southeast lost its top four hitters from last year, but returns two of its top three pitchers in seniors Jamie McAlister and Derek Herbig. The Redhawks also welcome back senior Anthony Maupin, Southeast's top winner two years ago who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.

McAlister, a right-hander, went 4-7 with two saves and a 4.20 earned run average last year. Herbig, a left-hander, was 5-3 with a 4.75 ERA. The right-handed Maupin was 8-7 with a 6.01 ERA in 2004.

"With the experience they've got, I feel really good about them," Hogan said. "Maupin is our No. 1, but McAlister is right there and Herbig is not far behind."

The only other returning pitcher who started any games last year is senior Andy Johnson (1-3, 5.36), but he has had shoulder problems and Hogan said he probably won't be able to see any mound action, although he is trying to convert to the outfield.

Also back are junior relievers Brent Lawson (1-1, 2.51) -- also an outfield starter -- Matt Carter (0-0, 5.06) and Josh Parham (1-1, 7.08), a left-hander from Jackson High School.

Behind Maupin, McAlister and Herbig, Hogan said other potential starters are three newcomers who will also be key position players: junior college transfer Asif Shah, freshman Daniel Schuh and freshman Andrew Graham. Shah is a left-hander.

"They've all got really good arms," Hogan said.

Mike Taylor, a freshman from Shawnee (Ill.) High School who redshirted last year, should see action out of the bullpen along with several other newcomers, while Hogan is looking at junior college transfer Phillip Riley -- another two-way player -- as the likely closer.

"He's looked good in that role so far," Hogan said. "I think it really hurt us last year not having a closer after [All-American] Brad Smith got hurt."

Around the field, five players return who started at least 29 games, but none batted .300 and only two are scheduled to be in the lineup today.

Lawson, who will be in left field, is Southeast's top returning hitter. He batted .294, led the team with 16 doubles, tied for the lead with five home runs and added 28 RBIs.

Sophomore James Clayton, the designated hitter today who will also play first base this season, batted .278 with 10 doubles as a true freshman.

Senior shortstop Jordan Payne (.257, 5 HR, 13 2B, 29 RBIs), who came on strong late last year after a slow start, has a wrist injury and Hogan said he could miss the early part of the season.

Also back are senior Chris Gibson (.225, 20 RBIs), who filled in at several outfield positions and first base last year, and senior catcher Levi Olson (.200).

Besides Lawson and Clayton, the other returning player who will start today is junior catcher Quenten Rouse, although he received just 13 at-bats last year before suffering an injury and redshirting.

Hogan said the rest of today's starting lineup will consist of newcomers.

Freshman Aaron Rave will be at first base, with junior college transfer Omar Padilla at second base, junior college transfer Robby Moore at shortstop, Riley at third base, Schuh in center field and Shah in right field.

Gibson figures to share time with Schuh in center while also playing other outfield positions, with Olson also seeing action at catcher.

With Southeast's lineup far from set because of the inexperience, several others also should receive their share of playing time, including junior Dustin Pritchett -- he was hurt early last year and redshirted -- at the corners, junior college transfer Daryl Graham at second base and Andrew Graham at a variety of positions. The Grahams are brothers.

"The big question mark is how we do offensively," Hogan said. "I think this will be a good hitting group, but I don't know how long it will take."

Southeast is picked to finish fifth in the 10-team OVC, which Hogan said is fair -- not that he doesn't think the Redhawks can do much better.

"Based on what we've got coming back, that was about right," Hogan said. "But this club has a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see how we do."

Noteworthy

• Hogan said that outfielder/pitcher Jason Meystedt and walk-on outfielder Brandon Gendron, two freshmen from Jackson High School, will likely redshirt this year, although that is not set in stone.

"They've both been doing a great job," Hogan said.