INDIANS FACE AN IMPROVED TIGER SQUAD

A new-look and improved University of Memphis baseball team will provide the non-conference opposition for Southeast Missouri State University's Indians tonight and Wednesday.

The Indians and Tigers will square off at 6 o'clock tonight at Capaha Field, then they'll meet in a rematch at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Capaha. Tonight will feature River Eagle Distributing Night, with free refreshments provided.

"Memphis has a new coach and they're playing a lot better this year," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "They're a Conference USA team and it should be an interesting two-game series."

Southeast, which will take its usual mid-week break from Ohio Valley Conference play, is 22-11 overall and 6-3 in the OVC after taking two of three games from visiting Eastern Kentucky over the weekend.

The Indians are in third place in the eight-team league, trailing Eastern Illinois (8-0) and Tennessee Tech (7-2).

Memphis is 18-12 overall and 6-6 in Conference USA under first-year coach Dave Anderson, a former Memphis player and minor-league manager. The Tigers have improved significantly from last season, when they went 15-37 overall and 8-18 in league play.

The Tigers, who are coming off a three-game sweep of league foe Louisville, are 4-0 against OVC teams this season, having beaten Eastern Illinois twice and Murray State and Tennessee-Martin once each.

While Memphis has just a .272 team batting average, the Tigers boast a pair of .400-plus hitters in Daniel Uggla (.427) and Barrett Smith (.426), although no other Memphis regulars bat better than .280.

But Memphis is a strong power-hitting squad, with 41 home runs, led by Uggla, who has 12 homers and has driven in 42 runs. Smith has eight homers and 32 RBIs.

Memphis has a team earned-run average of 5.11, with Ryan O'Malley (4-1, 3.47 ERA) being the Tigers' most successful starter so far.

The Indians continue to be led offensively by Clemente Bonilla, the OVC's top hitter who has a .419 average. Also above .300 are Zach Borowiak (.349), Brad Beatty (.344), Brice Nicholas (.316) and Denver Stuckey (.306).

Vern Hatton has five of the Indians' 22 homers while Jeff Bourbon and Borowiak are the top RBI producers with 29 and 28, respectively.

In the pitching department, Todd Pennington (6-1, 1.21 ERA) leads the OVC in wins, earned-run average and strikeouts per nine innings (11.25).

Softball at home today

Southeast's softball team will begin a string of 10 consecutive home games today when Tennessee-Martin comes to town for a 4 p.m. doubleheader.

The Otahkians are 11-15 overall and a third-place 5-3 in the OVC, trailing Eastern Kentucky (8-2) and Tennessee Tech (6-2). UT-Martin is 6-32 overall and 4-6 in the league.

Renee Enos, who leads the Otahkians with a .368 batting average, ranks sixth on the school's career list in doubles and RBIs and she has a chance to be the all-time leader in both categories.

Other top hitters for the Otahkians are Kemi Rampi (.310) and Jenny Doehring (.307). Doehring (8-7, 2.62 ERA) is the pitching leader.

Otahkian coach Lana Richmond is closing in on a major milestone as she needs just five wins to become only the 27th softball coach in Division I history to reach 600 victories. In her 19th season at Southeast, Richmond has a 595-320-2 record.

Tennis has home match

The Southeast women's tennis squad will close out the regular season with two home matches this week, beginning at 3 p.m. today against Tennessee-Martin. The Otahkians will face Tennessee State at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Southeast (5-11, 0-5 OVC) continues to be led by Mel Thomas, who has a 10-3 singles record and has combined with Adrienne Bland for a 9-5 doubles mark.