Indians take right attitude into today's home finale

If today's game against Morehead State is anything like Saturday's doubleheader, then Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team will close out its home schedule in grand style.

Of course, baseball is a funny game, and you never knows what's going to happen from day to day. That's why Southeast's coaches and players were all saying the right things by early Saturday evening. They talked about how much they respected Morehead State and how they could take nothing for granted heading into today's 1 p.m. home finale.

It's good to treat every opponent that way. But Saturday, on Parents' Day at Capaha Field, there was nothing respectful about the Indians' twin mauling of the Eagles as Southeast claimed 11-4 and 22-8 blowout victories to remain nicely positioned for a second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship.

It was probably fitting that Southeast's 10 seniors -- several of whom rank as among the premier players in school history -- began the final home series of their careers with such a dominant performance. And it would be super sweet for that group if today's Senior Day contest turns out the same way.

But, as the Indians emphasized, just because they romped twice Saturday doesn't mean they will do the same thing today. That's a good attitude to have. On the surface, it indicates the Indians will not be taking the Eagles lightly.

And it probably increases the chances of a grand finale to the home season.

A really neat highlight Saturday at Capaha Field -- in addition to the free beer courtesy of River Eagle Distributing -- was the 20-year anniversary gathering of Southeast's 1983 baseball team that was the MIAA runner-up and advanced to the NCAA Division II regional tournament.

Seventeen members of that squad, coached by the late Joe Uhls, made it to Capaha with their families and were introduced between games of the doubleheader.

Along with its share of players from outside the area, the 1983 Indians featured quite a few stars from Southeast Missouri high schools, including well-known local sports figures like Central baseball coach Steve Williams, assistant Central football and baseball coach Darrick Smith, Notre Dame athletic director Chris Janet and former Chaffee baseball coach Bruce Qualls, in addition to other locals like Keith Boeller, Jeff Reinagel, Kenny Reinagel and Alan Wengert.

I wasn't around to cover that standout team, but I began working for the Southeast Missourian the next year and have gotten to know many of those players quite well. It was great to see them being recognized Saturday.

Since Josh Gonner signed with South Carolina and Randy Holbrook still hasn't made up his mind, Southeast's men's basketball recruiting class for next season isn't quite as good as it might have been.

But even if the Indians don't land Holbrook, they're likely to add a player or two before the spring signing period ends. And even if the player or players aren't of the impact variety, the Indians still appear to have helped themselves considerably for next season.

The addition of Dainmon Gonner, Norman Prather, Mike Nelke and Reggie Golson --the latter isn't technically a new recruit but he realistically is because he played in just one game last season before taking a medical redshirt --make up what looks to be a solid recruiting class and one that, with the many returning players, should improve the Indians plenty.

And with the roster looking pretty set and solid for at least the next two seasons, if the Indians only sign one player this spring -- as might happen -- they'll then have the maximum five scholarships to dole out next year, which should not only help out the following season's team but also provide some young players for the future.

John Ishee, who spent the past season as an unpaid volunteer assistant coach with Southeast's women's basketball team, recently was hired as an assistant for the women's program at New Mexico State.

Ishee had an extensive coaching background before coming to Cape Girardeau, most recently being the head coach of the women's program at Life University in Georgia before that school abruptly dropped the sport following the 2001-2002 season.

Another ex-Southeast assistant coach, Chris Lowery, is joining Bruce Weber's staff at Illinois.

Lowery was an assistant under Weber at Southern Illinois the past two seasons after spending one year on Gary Garner's staff at Southeast.

It didn't gain much national attention, but Southeast basketball fans who followed the Indians during their initial Ohio Valley Conference and Division I years in the early-to-mid-1990s will probably be saddened to learn that former Morehead State coach Dick Fick recently died.

Fick, who coached at Morehead State for six years through 1997, was known for his playful banter with opposing fans and his colorful antics on the sidelines that drew considerable national attention.

A part-time assistant at the University of St. Francis (Ill.) the past two seasons, Fick was found dead in his apartment at age 50. Police said Fick had unspecified medical problems and did not appear to be the victim of foul play.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian