Indians chase eighth straight win today, face SIU

All that stands in the way of an eight-game Southeast Missouri State University baseball winning streak heading into Ohio Valley Conference play is a victory over regional rival Southern Illinois.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan knows that won't be easy.

"They're having a very good year, and it's always a tough game when we play them," Hogan said. "We'll have our work cut out for us."

The Indians (10-8) and Salukis (15-10, 6-2 Missouri Valley Conference) square off at 3 p.m. today at Abe Martin Field in Carbondale, Ill.

Southeast has won its last seven games and would love to keep the streak going entering this weekend's opening OVC series against visiting Tennessee Tech. Southeast is the defending OVC regular-season and tournament champion.

"We want to stay on a roll," senior shortstop Zach Borowiak said.

After struggling early in the season against a brutal schedule, the Indians have gotten hot against a less demanding slate. Hogan said he likes the way all phases of his team are starting to come together.

"Our offense, defense and pitching have really been solid lately," Hogan said. "We're getting timely hits and coming up with big innings, we're playing good defense and our pitchers haven't been walking too many people, which is big."

After being mired with a team batting average of barely .200 just a few weeks ago, the Indians have used a hot streak to push the mark to .289.

Senior catcher Tristen McDonald has shrugged off a slow start and leads the squad at .348. Also above .300 are freshman right fielder/designated hitter Aaron Fangman (.344), Borowiak (.343), senior left fielder Brian Hopkins (.328) and senior second baseman Justin Christian (.313).

Borowiak has 21 runs batted in to lead the Indians, and he is tied for the home-run lead with Christian as both have four.

"The hitting is starting to come around for the team," Borowiak said.

Likewise, Southeast's pitching has improved considerably in recent weeks. The Indians' earned-run average is down to 5.60 after it was around eight for quite a while.

Senior left-hander Tim Alvarez leads the OVC with a 7-0 record and a 1.47 ERA, but he is not likely to see much action if any today as he rests up for the series with Tennessee Tech that begins Saturday.

SIU, which had won seven straight games before losing its last two over the weekend, has a .280 batting average and 5.07 ERA.

Josh Markle leads the Salukis offensively with a .351 mark, while Sal Frisella is at .349. Frisella and Toby Barnett each have four homers.

Hard-throwing right-hander Jake Alley (2-1), a former Anna-Jonesboro (Ill.) High School star who has pitched in the summer for the Cape Girardeau Craftsman Union Capahas, is one of SIU's primary starters

The Indians and Salukis also will play April 9 at Capaha Field. The squads split their two games last year, Southeast winning 8-2 at home and losing 10-5 on the road.

Softball hosts Missouri

Southeast's softball team will take a break from OVC play today when the Otahkians host Missouri in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.

The Otahkians are 6-15 overall and 2-1 in the OVC after beating visiting Tennessee State in two of three games during last weekend's opening OVC series. Southeast travels to OVC foe Austin Peay this weekend for a three-game set.

Missouri is 19-13 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12 Conference.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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