Conference title a perfect reward for Hogan

mishow

For all the impressive work Mark Hogan has done as Southeast Missouri State University's baseball coach, one major accomplishment had eluded his grasp -- an Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship.

But that was finally taken care of Saturday as the Indians swept a doubleheader from Eastern Illinois to clinch the title.

It was quite a scene at Capaha Field after the Indians disposed of the second-place Panthers 9-2 and 7-1, meaning Southeast has an insurmountable 4 1/2-game lead with four league contests still remaining.

Almost immediately after the final out of the second game, the entire dugout emptied and players piled on top of each other on the infield. Hogan received the customary water shower from his players and quite a few of the more than 1,000 fans in attendance milled around on the field with the players and coaches long after the doubleheader had ended.

Hogan admitted a sense of relief after the Indians' secured the program's first OVC regular-season championship, but it's not like he needed the title to acquit himself. He's more than done that in his eight years at Southeast, leading the Indians to second place in the conference the last four seasons -- and five runner-up finishes overall -- along with the 1998 OVC Tournament crown that put the Tribe in the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time.

Hogan proved that you can come home again. He is a Cape Girardeau native who graduated from and played baseball for both Central High School and Southeast before leaving town to embark on a highly successful coaching career that ultimately landed him back here.

And Hogan admitted that's what makes the Indians' accomplishment even sweeter because his family and many of his longtime friends got to share in the special moment.

The humble Hogan was also quick to point out that he has been just a small part in this championship. He said all the credit should go to his players -- who have turned things around in a big way after a season that started with five straight losses to perennial powerhouses Oklahoma and Wichita State -- and assistant coaches Jeremy Tyson, Scott Southard and Jeff Hilz.

All the people Hogan credited deserve to take a bow, as does the program's boss. Hogan has been nothing but a class act ever since I met him after being hired by Southeast eight years ago. The same can be said for his assistants and this year's players, many of whom I have gotten to know fairly well while covering the team.

To assure themselves of their second NCAA Division I Tournament berth, the Indians must win the OVC Tournament May 23-25 in Paducah, Ky. They'll enter as the top seed and should be a solid favorite, although that definitely won't assure them the championship.

But no matter what happens in Kentucky later this month, winning the first OVC regular-season championship is quite an accomplishment and something nobody will ever be able to take away from this group of Indians.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian