OVC BASEBALL TOURNEY VISITS CAPAHA FIELD; SIX-TEAM EVENT BEGINS TODAY WITH FOUR GAMES

Eastern Kentucky, Southeast Missouri State University and Middle Tennessee all finished within one-half game of each other at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season baseball standings.

Austin Peay, which shook off a 1-8 OVC start, has been the league's hottest team.

Murray State has had its moments and Eastern Illinois is the defending OVC Tournament champion.

It all adds up to what figures to be an extremely wide-open and competitive 2000 OVC Tournament, which will be played today through Saturday at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau. The winner of the double-elimination event earns an automatic berth in the NCAA tourney.

"I think it's really wide open and it should be a heck of a tournament," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose squad is hosting the six-team event for the third year in a row. "Every team basically looks at this as an equal opportunity to make the NCAA Tournament.

"There will be six hungry teams coming in here to play and anything can happen in a tournament. It's usually the team that gets hot that will end up winning. It should be really exciting."

Eastern Kentucky coach Jim Ward, whose squad captured the regular-season title by a half-game over both Southeast and Middle Tennessee, agreed with Hogan.

"It should be a really good tournament. It's going to be a battle," Ward said. "I think it's wide open. SEMO has a great record and Middle Tennessee is very good. But we respect them all. I think any team can win it."

While Eastern Kentucky (29-25 overall, 18-6 OVC) won the regular-season title, Southeast (35-15, 17-6) and Middle Tennessee (33-21, 17-6) tied for second, but the Indians gained the tie-breaker based on winning two of three games from the Raiders.

And winning that regular-season series from the Raiders proved to be vital on two fronts. Not only did it give the Indians the all-important No. 2 seed, it also allowed them to host the tournament (Eastern Kentucky was ineligible to host because its field has no lights).

"We're very happy to be hosting the tournament for the third year in a row," Hogan said. "It's great to have it at our house. And getting that bye is always important."

As the top two seeds, Eastern Kentucky and Southeast earn a first-round bye to move directly into the semifinals. The other four teams must play elimination games early today to officially get into the four-team, double-elimination bracket.

"Getting that bye is really big, because you save some pitching and don't have to play an elimination game," said Ward. "But it still doesn't guarantee you anything."

Action will get under way at 10 a.m. today as fourth-seeded Austin Peay (31-25, 14-10) plays fifth-seeded Murray State (20-30, 11-12).

At 1:30 p.m., third-seeded Middle Tennessee takes on sixth-seeded Eastern Illinois (22-32, 10-13).

The losers of those first two games are eliminated from the tournament while the winners move on to face the top two seeds in the semifinals.

Today's first semifinal, at 5 p.m., will pit Eastern Kentucky against the Austin Peay-Murray State winner. Then at 8:30 p.m., Southeast plays the Middle Tennessee-Eastern Illinois winner.

The two semifinal losers will play an elimination game at noon Friday, with the semifinal winners meeting in the winner's bracket final at 3:30 p.m. The loser's bracket final will follow at 7 p.m.

Saturday's championship game is set for 1 p.m. If a final contest is needed to determine the tournament winner, that would follow.

Tickets for each day's session are $6 for adults and $3 for students. There will also be a twilight special today and Friday, with all tickets $3 after 6:30 p.m. today and after 5 p.m. Friday.

"We're hoping fans will come out to see some excellent baseball," said Hogan. "Our crowds have been unbelievable all season and hopefully everybody will continue to come out and support us, and also watch all the other very fine teams in the tournament."

As for a possible favorite, Hogan said, "It's really hard to say. Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee have had very good seasons, just like we have. But Austin Peay has really come on strong, Murray State has a very good team as we all saw (the Thoroughbreds won two of three from Southeast this year) and Eastern Illinois will be dangerous as the defending champion.

"I just think it's going to be a great tournament with some very exciting games. It should be a lot of fun."

Of the Indians' chances of capturing their second tourney title in the past three years, Hogan said, "I feel like we have as good a chance as anybody. I really feel like we have the opportunity to make some noise, especially if we play like we're capable."

Most of the top talent in the OVC will be in town for the tournament. Eleven of the 13 players who were named first-team all-OVC are on the six tourney squads. All told, 22 of the 27 players on the first and second all-league squads will be in the tournament.

Following is a look at the tournament's six teams in order of their seeding:

EASTERN KENTUCKY

Despite ranking fourth in the league in batting average (.303) and sixth in earned-run average (5.26), the Colonels' 18 conference wins were the most for an OVC team since 1988. Eastern Kentucky leads the OVC in fielding percentage (.964).

Adam Basil (.414, 52 RBIs) is the OVC's third-leading hitter and earned first-team all-league honors while narrowly missing out on the Player of the Year award.

Other top offensive weapons for the Colonels are Kiley Vaughn (.352), Aaron Williams (.333), Gabe Thomas (.317, 9 HR), Jason Sharp (.313, 11 HR, 47 RBIs) and Lee Chapman (.300, 12 HR, 59 RBIs). Vaughn and Chapman both made second-team all-OVC.

Heading up the starting pitching staff are second-team all-league selections Scott Santa (6-4, 4.32 ERA) and Corey Eagle (8-6, 5.08 ERA), along with Chip Albright (7-7, 6.19 ERA).

"Our guys have really accomplished a lot this season," said Ward, named OVC Coach of the Year. "Winning the OVC (regular-season) title was a big accomplishment and hopefully we'll continue to play like that (in the tournament)."

The Colonels' lost only one OVC series this year, that being the regular-season finale at Southeast. But the Colonels' win over the Indians' in the series' last game clinched the conference title.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

The Indians set a single-season school record for wins and they lead the OVC in ERA (4.16) and homers (85) while ranking second in batting average (.316) and fielding percentage (.963).

Southeast had by far the most first-team all-league selections with five, including OVC Player of the Year Jeremy Johnson, who is second in the league in batting (.415) while leading the way in homers (18) and runs scored (55). He also has 52 RBIs.

Other first-team all-OVC position players are Darin Kinsolving (.386, 16 HR, 49 RBIs) and Charlie Marino (.344, 17 HR, 61 RBIs), who rank right behind Johnson in the league home-run race. Kevin Meyer (.361) made the second team while Phil Warren (.331) is another player batting above .300.

Lanson Debrock (9-4, 3.10 ERA) was runner-up for OVC Pitcher of the Year while Dan Huesgen (5-4, 3.52 ERA) and Tommy Thomas (6-3, 4.10 ERA) round out a strong starting trio. Premier reliever Jeffrey Hilz (8-2, 5 saves, 1.79 ERA) earned OVC Rookie of the Year honors and joined Debrock on the all-league first team.

Hogan said that Debrock will start the Indians' tourney opener tonight. Huesgen has been Southeast's normal No. 1 starter but he is bothered by back spasms, although he should be able to go later in the tournament.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE

The Raiders have been on a serious roll as they enter the tournament, having won 17 of their last 22 games.

"I guess the last third of the season, we've been playing really well," said Middle Tennessee coach Steve Peterson. "Our guys have come around."

Offensively, the Raiders rank fifth in OVC batting at .299. They're led by first-team all-conference picks Bryan Peck (.403, 14 HR, 68 RBIs) and Josh Pride (.312, 10 HR, 40 RBIs). Peck, the league's RBI leader, narrowly missed out on OVC Player of the Year honors. Pride won that award last year.

Josh Renick (.355) made the all-league second team while other top offensive threats are Kyle Thomas (.318) and Justin Links (.305).

Middle Tennessee has the OVC's third-ranked pitching staff with a 4.62 ERA. Primary starters have been Dewon Brazelton (6-3, 5.08 ERA), Kris Lammers (5-2, 4.62 ERA), Jeff Parsons (5-5, 4.43 ERA) and Jamie Powers (3-4, 4.69 ERA). The Raiders' have one of the league's top relievers in Kevin Davis (7-2, 5 saves, 3.83 ERA).

AUSTIN PEAY

They only finished fourth in the league, but no team has been hotter than the Governors, who have won 13 of their last 15 OVC games and will carry an overall six-game winning streak into the tournament.

Austin Peay actually got off to a 13-5 start in non-conference play, but the Govs lost eight of their first nine OVC games to dig a deep early hole.

"We just kind of hung in there," said Austin Peay coach Gary McClure. "We knew we had a good ballclub, we just weren't hitting and we weren't catching the ball. But our guys kept working and we just turned it around."

The Govs, third in OVC batting at .306, feature the league's top hitter in second-team all-league pick Frank Kunich (.421). Other main offensive weapons are all-OVC first-teamer A.J. Ellis (.368), second-teamer Lance Wampler (.343, 8 HR, 47 RBIs), Ben Fuller (9 HR, 48 RBIs), Greg Troy (.315, 11 HR, 51 RBIs) and Brendan Loughrey (.312).

Austin Peay ranks fourth in league pitching with a 5.21 ERA, led by OVC Pitcher of the Year Mike Weel (10-2, 3.00 ERA), who tops the conference in wins. Other main starters have been Stephen Pew (5-2, 4.84 ERA) and Tony O'Donnell (6-4, 6.13 ERA) while Gunnar Tatom (5 saves, 4.31 ERA) has been a key out of the bullpen.

MURRAY STATE

Even though coach Mike Thieke's Thoroughbreds did not have a particularly impressive season, they showed Southeast what kind of potential they possess by being the only OVC team to win a series from the Indians.

Murray State's .284 batting average is just eighth in the nine-team league, its 26 homers are dead last and the Thoroughbreds have only two hitters above .300 in all-OVC first-teamer Chris Johnson (.380) and Nathan Taylor (.342). Murray's top power source is all-league second-teamer Justin Varitek (10 HR, 45 RBIs).

The Thoroughbreds are sixth in OVC pitching with a 5.90 ERA. Primary starters have been Chris Gray (5-7, 5.70 ERA), Aaron Russelburg (4-8, 6.37 ERA) and Preston Hesley (4-7, 6.45 ERA). Jason Glosser (4-2, 5 saves, 2.50 ERA) has been one of the league's top relievers.

EASTERN ILLINOIS

The defending tourney champion Panthers, coached by Jim Schmitz, won OVC regular-season titles in 1998 and 1999, but they barely snuck into the tournament this year.

Eastern Illinois, seventh in conference batting at .289, has by far the lowest leading hitter of the six tournament squads. But the Panthers do have five players at better than .300: Jamie Baker (.333), Bob VanHoorebeck (.321), Brian Nickell (.318, 9 HR, 52 RBIs), Keith Laski (.313, 10 HR) and Matt Marzec (.310).

The Panthers rank seventh in league pitching with a 6.08 ERA. John Larson (5-7, 5.04 ERA) has had something of a down season after being named OVC Pitcher of the Year in 1999, but he can still be a dominant force. Nick Albu (5-3, 4.91 ERA) has been the Panthers' other most consistent starter while all-OVC second-teamer Mike Ziroli (7 saves, 4.28 ERA) is one of the league's best relievers.