'Hawks, Panthers still seek answers well into season

As tough as times have been for Southeast Missouri State so far this season, coach Mark Hogan is not about to give up on the Redhawks.

"There's over half of the conference season left, and it's way too early to surmise too much," Hogan said. "Our guys are working really hard, and I've still got a lot of confidence in them. Hopefully we can get on some kind of a roll."

The Redhawks (13-22, 4-8 Ohio Valley Conference) will shoot for their first OVC series win of the year this weekend when Eastern Illinois (9-26, 6-6) visits Capaha Field. There will be a 1 p.m. doubleheader today and a 1 p.m. contest Sunday.

Southeast, picked second in the OVC's preseason poll, has dropped two of three in all four of its league series. The Redhawks are in eighth place among 10 teams. The Panthers are tied for fifth. Both squads have 15 OVC games left.

The Redhawks and Panthers have been two of the OVC's top teams over the past decade, but both are struggling as they try to move up the conference standings. The top six finishers qualify for the OVC Tournament.

"It's not normally where both teams are," Hogan said. "In most years, both of us are fighting for one of the top spots. Now we're kind of fighting for survival, but it should be a heck of a series."

Southeast, which has suffered six losses by one run, four by two runs and three more by three runs, has primarily been hamstrung by an offense that has struggled much of the season.

After batting .301 as a team last season and returning most of those players, the Redhawks are hitting just .261 this year to rank seventh in the OVC. Southeast is averaging only 4.3 runs per game, after averaging 6.4 runs per game a year ago.

Since Hogan took over Southeast's program in 1995, the Redhawks' lowest batting average has been .280, and the fewest runs per game they averaged has been 5.8.

Frankie Montiel (.348), Ernie Bracamonte (.321) and Eric Horstman (.309) are Southeast's lone players above .300, but only Montiel is within 30 points of where he wound up a year ago.

"We're so overdue to have quality offensive output," Hogan said. "It's a mystery, but it's not because of a lack of effort. It would be great to break out this weekend."

The Redhawks' pitching has actually been good enough to keep them in most contests, as their 4.99 earned-run average is fourth in the OVC and ranks above last year's 5.89 mark. But in conference games, Southeast's ERA is 6.02.

Hogan will juggle his pitching staff a bit this weekend. Freshman right-hander Joey Evans (5-4, 3.18), the normal second-game starter, will throw today's nine-inning opener, with junior right-hander Jamie McAlister (1-4, 4.27), who has primarily been pitching out of the bullpen, working today's seven-inning nightcap.

Junior left-hander and normal No. 1 starter Derek Herbig (2-2, 4.31) will start Sunday's nine-inning contest.

"We're just trying something different," Hogan said. "We haven't been able to win a conference game on Sunday yet, and that last game is so important."

EIU's .274 batting average is sixth in the OVC, while its 7.16 ERA ranks ninth.

The Panthers' top hitters are Erik Huber (.352) and Mark Chagnon (.342), while Keiji Szalo has seven home runs and 26 runs batted in.

Senior right-hander Kyle Widegren (2-5, 6.75), senior left-hander Ted Juske (0-6, 7.85) and sophomore right-hander Mike Budde (3-4, 3.79) are EIU's probable starters.

Hogan is closing on a career milestone as he approaches win No. 700. His record is 698-511 in 24 seasons overall, including junior college. Hogan's record at Southeast is 321-255.