Bieser to serve as Southeast Missouri State baseball team's interim coach for next season

Steve Bieser was named Southeast Missouri State's interim baseball coach Monday in the wake of Mark Hogan's retirement.

Bieser, a Southeast assistant the past two years and a former star player at the university, hopes to keep the job for a long time.

"I'm not even going into it as looking at it as an interim position," Bieser said. "I don't envision this as a one-year deal."

Southeast athletic director Mark Alnutt said Monday that Bieser will serve as the Redhawks' interim coach for the 2013 season, then the university will conduct a national search for Hogan's replacement. Bieser will have an opportunity to be a candidate for the permanent position.

"I have great love for the university. It would be a blessing for me to be in this job for 18 years like coach Hogan," Bieser said. "I'm extremely grateful to the administration, for them having the confidence in me to assume this position."

Alnutt said he has confidence in Bieser's ability to lead the program for at least the next year.

"Being this close to the season, from a continuity standpoint, we feel we have somebody in place who can do the job on an interim basis," Alnutt said. "I truly believe we're fortunate to have a person in Steve Bieser to lead our program this year."

Bieser, who turns 45 on Saturday, graduated from Southeast in 1989 and has served as the team's pitching coach for the last two seasons.

"Coach Hogan has been such a mentor," Bieser said. "Just to get to spend two years under coach Hogan has been a great experience for me."

Bieser, who graduated from Ste. Genevieve High School, was selected in the 32nd round of the 1989 major league amateur draft by the Phillies.

Bieser played professionally from 1989 through 2001. He appeared in 60 games with the Mets and Pirates during a two-year major-league stint. He finished with a .250 batting average (20 for 80), four doubles and five RBIs.

Bieser compiled a 137-51 record in seven seasons at Vianney High School in St. Louis, where he won state titles in 2004 and 2006, before coming to Southeast.

"I tried to get down here several times [as an assistant], but the timing wasn't right," Bieser said.

Bieser said his first order of business would be to contact all of Southeast's players, including the incoming recruits.

"It's all about the student athletes, let them know what took place," said Bieser, whose son, Cole, will be a junior on the baseball team this season.

Bieser also has to line up a new coaching staff. Chris Cafalone, who spent the past six years as Southeast's hitting coach, left the program after the 2012 season.

"I'll have to get a staff, two assistants, in place," Bieser said. "I've got connections all over. I'm fortunate I've been in the game so long."

Hogan said he believes Bieser will make a strong enough impression during his tenure as interim coach to be a viable candidate as Hogan's permanent successor.

"Steve is a very capable guy, a top-notch man and family," Hogan said. "I'm absolutely thrilled for him and his family. I'm thrilled the university is giving him an opportunity."