Hogan's squad tries to regain form

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team continued its streak of never having missed the Ohio Valley Conference tournament under Mark Hogan last year.

But it was hardly the type of season Hogan would place at the top of his impressive resume with the Redhawks.

Southeast posted its second consecutive losing record in 2006, going 23-33, and the Redhawks' finished tied for sixth in the OVC at 11-16.

Both marks are Hogan's worst during his 12 seasons as Southeast's coach.

"It was certainly not what we're used to," Hogan said.

Southeast Missouri State coach Mark Hogan spoke to a reporter on media day Feb. 7. (Kit Doyle)

Hogan has experienced just four losing seasons at Southeast, but two of them have come in the last two years. The Cape Girardeau native and Southeast graduate has a 355-298 record at his alma mater, leading the program to a pair of OVC titles and NCAA regional berths.

"I am disappointed. The league has gotten a lot stronger the last few years and it's our challenge to step up," said Hogan, whose squad is a combined 47-65 over the last two years, after previously having a run of seven straight non-losing seasons.

But a new year brings renewed optimism, which is what the Redhawks are carrying into the 2007 season that begins Saturday with a doubleheader at Jackson State. The squads will play a single game Sunday.

"Most definitely," all-OVC senior second baseman Omar Padilla said. "I'm confident we're going to bounce back."

The Redhawks, who finished strong last year by winning six of their final nine games, feature only 13 returning players on their 33-man roster.

Two of the Redhawks' top three hitters are back, and nine returning position players started at least 10 games.

But in the pitching department, returnees accounted for only seven of last year's wins, although Hogan believes the staff will be deeper than it has been in some time.

Offensively, Southeast's .272 team batting average in 2006 was its worst during Hogan's tenure, and the Redhawks' average of 5.4 runs per game was their second-worst under Hogan.

Southeast graduated its top hitter in all-OVC catcher Levi Olson, who batted .343.

But back are the Redhawks' next two highest averages in Padilla (.340, 18 doubles, four home runs, 25 runs batted in) and senior outfielder Dustin Pritchett (.319, 14 doubles, two triples, two homers, 22 RBIs), an OVC all-tournament selection.

"Those are two experienced guys who had good seasons for us last year," Hogan said. "I think Omar is one of the top players in the conference."

Sophomore center fielder Daniel Schuh (.274, two homers, 22 RBIs) started 51 games last year, while senior infielder Phillip Riley (.241, three homers, 26 RBIs) started 41 games.

Senior infielder Daryl Graham (.268, one homer, 15 RBIs) and senior outfielder Asif Shah (.250, one homer, 14 RBIs) both started at least 20 games.

Also returning, after starting at least 10 games, are senior outfielder Brent Lawson (.176), senior shortstop Robby Moore (.171) and senior catcher Chad Mercado (.086).

Lawson struggled in limited plate opportunities last year but was a solid offensive player during his first two seasons. Hogan is confident he'll get back to that form.

Hogan will be looking for offensive production from Big 12 Conference transfers Matt Wulfers (Missouri) and Matt Wagner (Nebraska).

Wulfers is a sophomore outfielder out of Notre Dame High School, and Wagner is a sophomore first baseman. Both played little at their former schools but excelled in the Jayhawk League over the summer.

"I really look for them to help pick our offense up," Hogan said. "I think they'll do very well on this level."

Hogan expects solid contributions around the field from several other newcomers.

Junior Zachary Blemker, who missed all of last season with an injury after transferring from junior college, is battling with Moore for the shortstop position.

Freshman Nick Harris is making a strong push for the third base job, along with Graham.

Another freshman, Jim Klocke -- the coaches' association state player of the year last season at Vianney High School in St. Louis -- is the likely starter at catcher, with Mercado also in the mix.

"Our offense is a big question mark," said Hogan, who will go back to coaching third base this year after Scott Southard left the staff to enter private business in Florida. "We've got better speed, so I think we'll do a lot more hit-and-run, bunting, things like that.

"We've got some tools, but we'll have to see."

Banking on pitching

In the pitching department, Southeast's three primary starters graduated, but Hogan believes his staff will be a strength.

"Our pitching will be deeper than it's been in quite a while," Hogan said. "It should be a factor. I'm very excited.

"We're inexperienced, but I think we'll overcome it."

Riley, a hard-throwing right-hander, made six starts and showed flashes of being a dominant starter. He went 3-5 with a 6.17 earned run average. He also had two saves out of the bullpen.

Shah, a crafty left-hander, made 11 starts and also had some strong outings. He went 2-3 with a 5.95 ERA.

Senior lefty Josh Parham, a Jackson High School product, had a solid season out of the bullpen, going 2-2 with three saves and a 4.14 ERA that ranked first on the team among hurlers with at least seven innings.

Schuh, Lawson, senior Matt Carter and sophomore Mike Taylor from Shawnee (Ill.) High School combined for less than 30 innings last year.

Only Schuh among that group had an ERA of less than 9.80, but Hogan likes Lawson's closer-type potential, while Taylor and Carter could be factors in middle relief.

Hogan expects several new pitchers to fill a variety of roles, including possibly anchoring the starting staff.

Junior college transfer Ivan Nails is slated to start Saturday's opener at Jackson State, while freshman lefty Josh Syberg -- who played with Klocke on the Vianney team that won last year's Class 4 state title -- will likely get the ball in the second game of the doubleheader.

"Those two are big additions for us," Hogan said. "Syberg is real special."

Hogan -- who emphasized that his rotation for the season is far from set -- said this weekend's third starter will probably be either Shah, Riley or junior college transfer Dustin Renfrow, depending on how much relief help is needed in the first two games.

Renfrow played with Wulfers and Wagner on the Nevada (Mo.) Griffons in the Jayhawk League this summer, and he also fared well.

Although he is still recovering from an injury, Hogan said a pitcher to look out for later in the season is lefty juco transfer James Leigh, who has already been drafted twice.

"He could be a wild card for us," Hogan said.

Other newcomers expected to contribute in various roles on the mound are Air Force transfer Sam Rosener, a potential closer; St. Louis University transfer Lance Rhodes, from Sikeston; Southern Arkansas transfer Matt Holland; juco transfer Isaac Stoll; and freshman Derek Hayden.