Indians will try to track down first win at ASU

Despite being trounced during a season-opening three-game series at Oklahoma over the weekend, Southeast Missouri State University baseball coach Mark Hogan still likes the potential of his inexperienced team.

The Indians -- who were outscored 28-8 in Norman, Okla. -- will take another crack at their initial win of the year today when they visit Arkansas State (3-4) for a 3 p.m. first pitch.

"I haven't lost confidence in these guys at all. It's early," Hogan said. "I haven't seen anything we can't overcome."

Hogan has annually put his teams up against rugged non-conference schedules, but this is the most inexperienced the Indians have been in several years. They returned just two full-time starters and lost the Ohio Valley Conference's pitcher of the year.

"With such an inexperienced group, this schedule was by design, to toughen them up," Hogan said.

Southeast's pitching and defense struggled at Oklahoma -- the Indians came away from the series with a 7.50 earned-run average and committed seven errors -- but Hogan was encouraged by his squad's offense.

Despite being without the players Hogan projects to bat third and fourth in the order -- junior- college transfers Freddy Lopez and Frankie Montiel will both miss the first several weeks of the season with injuries -- Southeast managed a respectable 26 hits in the three games.

"Our pitching wasn't as good as we thought. We had some nerves, and we faced a very good club," Hogan said. "But a bright spot was our hitting up and down the lineup, particularly since we don't have our three and four hitters yet."

Junior college transfer Eric Horstman batted .462 (6-for-13) in the series while fellow juco transfer Bo Jenkins hit .364 (4-for-11) and had the Indians' only home run. Senior Gary Gilbert, the squad's top returning hitter, batted .308 (4-for-13).

A bright spot on the mound, said Hogan, was freshman Matt Carter, who made two scoreless appearances in relief. Over three innings, he gave up two hits and no walks while striking out three.

"He was probably the bright spot on the whole weekend," Hogan said.

The Indians are still without one of their top returning pitchers in hard-throwing senior right-hander Bill Clayton, who missed the Oklahoma series because of a sprained ankle. Hogan expects him to be ready for next week's two-game series at nationally ranked Mississippi.

Hogan said juco transfer right-hander Mike Fitch, who started the opener at Oklahoma, will get the nod today.