First pitches to fly in OVC race

Tennessee-Martin put Southeast Missouri State into an early Ohio Valley Conference hole by handing the Redhawks three one-run losses during their opening OVC series last year.

The Redhawks never really recovered, as they posted their worst OVC finish and worst OVC record under coach Mark Hogan, although they did squeeze into the six-team league tournament.

Southeast will look for a better OVC start this time around against UTM, as the Skyhawks visit Capaha Field for a three-game weekend series.

The Redhawks (12-7) and Skyhawks (6-12) will square off in a 1 p.m. doubleheader today and 1 p.m. contest Sunday.

The Skyhawks swept Southeast by scores of 3-2, 2-1 and 1-0 in late March last year in Martin, Tenn.

"I know the coaches and the players returning have not forgotten it," Hogan said. "Those were three very tough games to lose."

Southeast went on to tie for sixth place in the 10-team OVC at 11-16. The Redhawks wound up 23-33 overall. Both marks are Hogan's worst during his tenure at Southeast.

"That series got us off to a rough start, and we kind of fought it all year," said Hogan, a Cape Girardeau native and Southeast graduate who has a 367-305 record in his 13 seasons at his alma mater. "We need to take care of business this weekend and get off to a much better start."

What Hogan saw from the Redhawks during their 19 nonconference games leading up to this weekend has him hopeful that will happen.

While the Redhawks played a softer schedule than in the past, their pitching and defense have been strong, and their offense -- which struggled for several weeks -- has finally gotten going as well.

"I'm very encouraged by what I've seen so far," said Hogan, whose squad had a five-game winning streak snapped Wednesday at Central Arkansas.

The Redhawks lead the OVC in earned-run average at 3.47, and their three primary starters are among the top six in the league.

Senior left-hander Asif Shah (2-0, 1.29) leads the league in ERA, junior right-hander Dustin Renfrow (2-0, 1.45) is second and freshman lefty Josh Syberg (3-1, 2.60) is sixth.

A fourth starter, senior righty Phillip Riley (3-1, 2.50), would be fifth in ERA but doesn't have enough innings to qualify.

Syberg leads the OVC with 35 strikeouts, while Shah is tied for third with 30.

"That's the best we've had around here in a while," said Hogan of his four-man rotation. "And we've got some relievers throwing very well.

"We've got a nice pitching staff, as predicted, and our defense has been very good behind them."

Renfrow is scheduled to start today's nine-inning opener, followed by Shah in the seven-inning nightcap. Syberg will take the ball for Sunday's nine-inning series finale.

Riley, who has been Southeast's primary mid-week starter and worked five innings Tuesday at Central Arkansas, should be available if any of the other three falter early.

Southeast's offense was floundering with a .232 average -- and only one .300-plus hitter -- until beginning a three-game series with Arkansas-Pine Bluff last weekend.

The Redhawks broke out and, five games later, they have raised their average to .267.

Southeast posted its three highest-scoring games of the season in its last three outings, during which time the Redhawks scored 42 runs.

"It's been refreshing, the way the offense has picked up," Hogan said. "Are we a team that's going to score double figures every game? Of course not.

"But we knew the offense was better than what it showed early. We're probably somewhere in between."

Added Hogan: "If we keep getting the pitching and defense we have been, we'll be in every game."

Shah, Southeast's designated hitter when he's not pitching, has surged to the team batting lead with a .348 average.

Freshman Nick Harris is batting .338 and ranks high in several OVC statistical categories, including tied for second in runs scored with 21 and tied for fourth in home runs with three.

Shah also has three homers to tie for fourth in the league.

Senior Omar Padilla (.313) is also batting above .300.

Sophomore Matt Wagner, batting .299, is tied with Shah for the team lead in runs batted in with 17 -- they share seventh in the OVC -- but Wagner is questionable for this weekend with a knee injury suffered Tuesday at Central Arkansas.

"That's a big loss for us if he can't go," Hogan said.

UTM, which failed to make the OVC tournament last year, has a 8.46 ERA that ranks eighth in the OVC.

Offensively, the Skyhawks are batting .262 and boast the league's top hitter in Scott McLean (.444).

Southeast was picked sixth in the OVC's preseason poll based on voting by the league's coaches, while UTM was predicted to finish ninth.

But after what happened last year, Hogan knows better than to underestimate the Skyhawks.

"Martin is the type of team that will never quit," Hogan said. "We remember what they did to us last year. We can't afford to let that happen again.

"After this series, you've still got 24 conference games left, so it doesn't make or break you. But it's important to get off to a good start."