Klocke, Harris earn national freshman honors

~ Two Southeast players landed on a freshman all-American team.

Southeast Missouri State's Jim Klocke and Nick Harris were unquestionably two of the Ohio Valley Conference's top freshman baseball players this year.

Now they have also been rated among the nation's best freshmen.

Klocke and Harris were named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans on Wed-nesday, as selected by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

Last month, both players were voted to the OVC all-freshman team, with Klocke named the league's freshman of the year.

"What a great honor for the boys, and well deserved," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "I thought they had a good chance to make it, for the kind of seasons they had, but you never know.

"This is a very prestigious award. All-American honors is something kids dream about. And they have a chance to make a couple more of these types of teams."

Klocke, a product of Vianney High School in suburban St. Louis, started all but two games at catcher for the Redhawks this year despite never playing behind the plate in high school.

Klocke started every game this season, including twice at designated hitter. His .324 batting average was second on the team. He also had 10 doubles, 4 home runs and 38 runs batted in, the latter figure ranking third on the squad.

In addition, Klocke led the Redhawks with a .443 on-base percentage and 34 walks, the latter figure ranking second in the OVC.

Klocke struck out only 13 times in 179 at-bats, which made him the 49th toughest player to strike out nationally.

"He just had a tremendous freshman season on so many levels," Hogan said.

Harris, a native of Alabaster, Ala., near Birmingham, started every game this season for Southeast at third base.

Harris batted .281 while tying for the team lead with 12 doubles, 8 home runs and 10 stolen bases. He led the squad with 4 triples, was second with 53 runs scored and was fourth with 37 RBIs.

In addition, Harris ended the season with 228 at-bats, just one shy of tying the Southeast single-season record.

"He also had a great freshman season, not only at the plate but defensively," Hogan said. "The future here is very bright for both Jim and Nick."

Klocke and Harris are currently playing for summer league teams, Klocke in Minnesota and Harris in Alabama.

The last Freshman all-American for Southeast was Zach Borowiak in 2000.

Richie Derbak of Eastern Illinois was the only other OVC player named to the Freshman All-American team.

Draft possibilities

Hogan said he believes three Southeast players have an outside chance of being selected late in the 50-round amateur draft that will take place today and Friday.

Only juniors and seniors are eligible to be drafted from four-year college.

Southeast juniors who could get called in Friday's late rounds are pitchers Dustin Renfrow and Ivan Nails.

Renfrow was the Redhawks' No. 1 starter this year, going 5-1 with a 2.46 ERA, which ranked second in the OVC.

The right-hander has already been drafted once, being taken in the 39th round in 2005 out of Jefferson College in Hillsboro.

Nails, a hard-throwing right-handed reliever, was 3-2 with three saves and a 5.21 ERA this year.

"They've had some select workouts with organizations and they're getting some consideration," Hogan said. "They're possibilities."

So is senior right-handed pitcher Phillip Riley, another hard thrower who went 6-3 with a 2.87 ERA in his final collegiate season this year. He is currently playing for the Capahas.

Riley has also already been drafted, in the 45th round in 2005 out of Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College.

"He could be [drafted] because he's a power pitcher," Hogan said.