FORMER ND STAR AMONG SE SIGNEES

A year away from baseball was about all Scott Reinagel could handle.

"I really missed it a lot," said Reinagel.

But he won't have to worry about the void any longer. Reinagel, a former Notre Dame High School baseball standout, will be a member of the 2002 Southeast Missouri State University squad.

Reinagel is one of 14 recruits -- all of them transfers -- who will be joining the Indians for next season, coach Mark Hogan announced Tuesday. A 2000 Notre Dame graduate, Reinagel attended the University of Missouri last year but did not play baseball.

"I'm excited about coming to SEMO," said Reinagel, a catcher. "It was tough not playing at all last year, after having played pretty much my whole life. I thought it would be a good time for me to play again."

Reinagel, a standout on Notre Dame teams that made consecutive appearances in the Class 2A Final Four in 1999 and 2000, is playing this summer with the Craftsman Union Capahas.

"I've enjoyed playing this summer with such a good team and I'm looking forward to joining a good program at SEMO," he said.

One other local product will also be joining the Indians: Brent Self, from Sikeston, Mo. Self, a pitcher who also plays for the Capahas, is transferring from Arkansas State, where he saw little action.

Three other Division I transfers are infielders Dave Lawson from Southwest Missouri State, Tom Cigno from Southern Illinois-Carbondale and Jody Gajewski from Saint Louis. Lawson did not play for the Bears last year while Cigno and Gajewski saw very limited action for their respective teams. Lawson and Gajewski both play for the Capahas.

Another player coming to Southeast with ties to Cape Girardeau is James Beever, who spent the 2000 season as a backup catcher with the Indians before spending a year at Olney Central (Ill.) Community College. Now a pitcher, Beever also plays for the Capahas.

Other pitching recruits for the Indians, all junior-college transfers, are Donnie Fuller from Ventura (Calif.) CC; Ryan Govek from Madison (Wis.) CC; Andy Sheridan from Southeastern Illinois CC; and Leroy Stubbles from Skyline (Calif.) CC.

Four other recruits, also from the juco ranks, are catcher David Kurtz from Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo.; catcher Justin Tune from Three Rivers CC in Poplar Bluff, Mo.; infielder Josue Lopez from Saddleback (Calif.) CC; and outfielder Tim Alvarez from Eastern Arizona CC.

"I feel really good about this incoming class of recruits," said Hogan, who indicated that the Indians might still sign a few more players. "There are some excellent hitters in this group so our offense will definitely be helped."

A big concern for the Indians, who went 34-20 last year and finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference, is replacing departed pitching standouts Todd Pennington, Jeff Hilz and Tommy Thomas.

"It will be difficult but these new signees, along with our returning staff, should be competitive," Hogan said.

New Indians

Catchers

Scott Reinagel, Univesity of Missouri*

David Kurtz, Jefferson College

Justin Tune, Three Rivers CC

Infielders

Dave Lawson, SW Missouri

Tom Cigno, So. Illinois

Jody Gajewski, St. Louis U.

Josue Lopez, Saddleback (Calif.) CC

Outfielders

Tim Alvarez, Eastern Arizona CC

Pitchers

Brent Self, Arkansas St.

James Beever, Olney Central (Ill.) CC

Donnie Fuller, Ventura (Calif.) CC

Ryan Govek, Madison (Wis.) CC

Andy Sheridan, Southeastern Ill. CC

Leroy Stubbles, Skyline (Calif.) CC

* Was not on college baseball team