INDIANS VISIT LAST SEASON'S OVC CHAMPS

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team faces an early-season Ohio Valley Conference showdown on the road this weekend.

The Indians will put their 2-1 OVC record on the line against defending OVC champion Tennessee Tech, which is off to a 3-0 league start.

Tech and Southeast will square off in a 1 p.m. doubleheader today and a 2 p.m. single game Sunday at Quillen Field in Cookeville, Tenn.

"We'll have our hands full with Tennessee Tech," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "They have a good ballclub and they swept Middle Tennessee. They are making some noise early and it's tough to sweep anyone as we found out against Murray State."

Southeast opened its OVC schedule at home last weekend by taking two out of three from Murray. The Indians rolled in Saturday's doubleheader by scores of 9-5 and 19-0 but then the Racers came back Sunday to romp 12-3.

By virtue of its three-game sweep of Middle Tennessee last weekend, Tech's Golden Eagles are in first place in the OVC all by themselves.

Southeast, Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay are all 2-1 and tied for second place after the first series of conference play.

The Indians, who are 8-7 overall, will throw a hot pair of pitchers against Tech in today's doubleheader.

Senior righthander Jason Swearingen, the game one starter, is 3-0 with a 3.13 earned-run average.

Junior lefty Ryan Spille, who will start game two, has been simply phenomenal through the early part of the season. Spille is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA and he has allowed just 18 hits and five walks while striking out 37 in 27 innings.

"Jason and Ryan have both been extremely consistent for us so far," Hogan said. "Jason is really reliable and what can you say about Ryan. He's been sensational so far."

Junior righty Chad Bogenpohl is scheduled to start Sunday's game. Bogenpohl is just 1-3 with a 9.20 ERA, but he's had solid outings in his last two starts.

While Swearingen and Spille have been Southeast's most consistent pitchers so far this season, the Indians' offense has been strong virtually up and down the lineup.

Southeast is batting .310 as a team and five players who have gotten at least 16 at-bats are hitting above .300.

Kyle Yount leads the way (.414), followed by Jeff Bourbon (.382), Robert Kern (.342), Charlie Marino (.340) and Steve Lowe (.321).

Marino tops the squad in home runs with five while Kern is right behind with four. Marino also has the most runs batted in with 16 while Yount has 15.

The Indians' defense has also been solid, with just 18 errors. Southeast committed a whopping 113 errors last season.

"It should be a great series," said Hogan. "Tennessee Tech lost some outstanding players from last year, but you really have to give them a lot of credit for sweeping Middle Tennessee, which is picked to win our league."