INDIANS CARRY NINE-GAME WIN STREAK INTO WEEKEND SERIES WITH MURRAY ST.

As tight as the top of the Ohio Valley Conference baseball race is, Southeast Missouri State University coach Mark Hogan realizes that the Indians have little margin for error.

So Hogan will be looking for another strong performance this weekend when the Indians host Murray State in a three-game OVC series at Capaha Field.

The squads will have a 2 p.m. doubleheader today, followed by a 2 p.m. single game Sunday.

"We just have to keep playing well and keep taking care of our own business," said Hogan. "The league race is really close with the top three teams and all three have pretty much been keeping pace the last few weeks."

Southeast, 29-10 overall and 12-2 in OVC play, leads the nine-team league by percentage points over Eastern Kentucky (15-3). Middle Tennessee (11-3) is also very much in the title picture.

The top three teams all swept key OVC series last weekend. While Eastern Kentucky does not play any conference games this weekend, MIddle Tennessee visits rival Tennessee Tech in a big league matchup.

"Middle Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky still have to play each other, and we still have to play Eastern Kentucky (at home on the final weekend of the regular season)," Hogan said. "There's still a whole lot that can happen, but we really can't worry about what anybody else does. We've just got to worry about ourselves."

Murray State,17-22 overall, is 8-6 in the OVC, good for fourth place. The Thoroughbreds were contending for the title until they lost all three games against Middle Tennessee last weekend.

"They were really playing well before they ran into Middle," said Hogan. "They've got a good ballclub and I know we're going to have our hands full. We're looking for a tough series."

Hogan has to feel good about the way the Indians have been playing in recent weeks as they have reeled off nine straight wins, their longest winning streak of the season and the third-longest current streak in Division I. Southeast also has the 17th best winning percentage (.737) in the nation.

"Winning nine in a row is certainly quite an accomplishment on this level," Hogan said.

The Indians have been solid in all areas as they entered the week leading the OVC in pitching (3.72 earned-run average) and defense (.965 fielding percentage) while ranking second in batting (.319 average). Southeast is 18th nationally in team ERA.

"Our team has really been clicking lately," said Hogan. "Our pitching has been very good, our hitting has come around again and our defense has remained solid."

Southeast features the OVC's leading hitter entering the week in Jeremy Johnson (.411) while Darin Kinsolving (.389) and Kevin Meyer (.378) ranked fifth and sixth in the league, respectively.

Charlie Marino (.333) is also among the OVC's top 20 hitters while the Indians are also bolstered by the return of Phil Warren (.325), who recently returned to the lineup.

Warren, who missed 18 games with a broken hand that required surgery, returned to action Wednesday against Arkansas State and he'll be in the lineup this weekend. Warren had a big two-run double in Wednesday's game.

"Having Phil back gives us a boost," Hogan said. "He's not only a solid player but he's also one of our leaders."

The Indians have the OVC's top three home run hitters in Marino (13), Johnson (12) and Kinsolving (11). Marino is tied for 18th nationally in home runs per game. As a team, Southeast has belted 63 homers, which is by far the most in the league.

In the pitching department, Southeast has four of the OVC's top nine in earned-run average. Relief specialist Jeffrey Hilz, who has a 6-1 record and four saves, is first at 1.94, which ranks him 15th in the nation. He is also tied for second in the league in saves.

Starters Lanson Debrock (8-3, 2.88), Dan Huesgen (4-3, 3.15) and Tommy Thomas (5-1, 3.66) rank fifth, sixth and ninth. Debrock also leads the league in wins while Hilz is tied for third.

Huesgen and Debrock will start today's games while Thomas, sixth in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.5, will get the call Sunday.

Murray State's offense and pitching rank in the bottom half of the league as the Thoroughbreds are batting .283 and have a 5.55 ERA.

The Thoroughbreds do boast one of the OVC's better hitters in Chris Johnson (.384). Others batting above .300 are Billy Moore (.326), Nathan Taylor (.325) and Brett McCutchan (.304).