OVC tournament teams at a glance 5/26/04

TOURNAMENT TEAMS AT A GLANCE

AUSTIN PEAY

Seed: No. 1

Record: 35-19, 20-7 OVC

Coach: Gary McClure (492-469-4 in 17 years at AP)

Batting average: .303

Earned-run average: 4.39

Hitters to watch: Chris Poynter .404, 3 HR, 27 RBIs; Jared Walker .370, 5 HR, 23 2B, 50 RBIs; Alfredo Burkeen .336, 4 HR, 4 3B, 22 RBIs, 18-21 SB; Matthew Ledbetter .326, 2 HR, 22 RBIs, 18-20 SB; Chris Hyde .304, 11 HR, 39 RBIs

Pitchers to watch: Rowdy Hardy 12-2, 2.64 ERA; Jeff Mault 11-3, 3 S, 3.15; Shawn Kelley 3-3, 3.66; Adam Muston 2-0, 6 S, 2.08

Noteworthy: Governors have won consecutive regular-season OVC titles for the first time in school history.

EASTERN ILLINOIS

Seed: No. 2

Record: 25-28, 17-9 OVC

Coach: Jim Schmitz (281-246 in 10 years at EIU)

Batting average: .305

Earned-run average: 7.37

Hitters to watch: Kevin Carkeek .360, 1 HR, 14 2B, 31 RBIs; Ryan Campbell .351, 6 HR, 22 2B, 41RBIs; Mark Chagnon .333; Kyle Haines .329, 9 HR, 16 2B, 47 RBIs; David Chacon .307, 5 HR, 34 RBIs

Pitchers to watch: Kyle Widegren 7-4, 7.12; Ted Juske 4-2, 5.40; Kirk Miller 2-4, 4.60; Chris Vaculik 5-1, 6 S, 5.21

Noteworthy: Panthers won their season opener, then lost 14 straight before righting the ship...their top three hitters for average are freshmen.

JACKSONVILLE STATE

Seed: No. 3

Record: 27-26, 16-11 OVC

Coach: Jim Case (82-83 in 3 years at JSU)

Batting average: .280

Earned-run average: 5.09

Hitters to watch: Bobby Hicks .367, 11 HR, 18 2B, 3 3B, 38 RBIs; Austin Stein .341, 11 HR, 12 2B, 4 3B, 46 RBIs; Winston Pearson .321, 5 HR, 17 RBIs; Scott Smith .303, 7 HR, 29 RBIs; Robby Goodson .299, 13 HR, 39 RBIs

Pitchers to watch: Bobby Wynns 7-6, 3.18; C.R. Palmer 8-5, 3.80; Josh Forrest 2-3, 6.10; Goodson 2-2, 7 S, 3.14

Noteworthy: Gamecocks are a first-year OVC team, having moved over from the Atlantic Sun Conference.

EASTERN KENTUCKY

Seed: No. 4

Record: 33-15, 15-11 OVC

Coach: Elvis Dominguez (72-84 in 3 years at EKU)

Batting average: .379

Earned-run average: 5.13

Hitters to watch: Stephen Carter .466, 1 HR, 14 2B, 40 RBIs, 21-29 SB; Jonathan Woodard .429, 5 HR, 17 2B, 3 3B, 47 RBIs; Derrick Bussell .408, 3 HR, 32 RBIs, 15-16 SB; Chris O'Dell .376, 14 HR, 42 RBIs; Neil Sellers .362, 12 HR, 18 2B, 63 RBIs

Pitchers to watch: Scott Goetz 4-0, 3.16; Chris Grider 8-3, 3.64; Dan Bachman 5-2, 5.23; Richard Boothe 1-2, 6 S, 3.47

Noteworthy: Colonels' team batting average leads the nation and eight regulars are hitting .350 or better...they are also third nationally in scoring with 9.8 runs per game.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Seed: No. 5

Record: 26-26, 15-11 OVC

Coach: Mark Hogan (305-231-1 in 10 years at SE)

Batting average: .299

Earned-run average: 5.73

Hitters to watch: Eric Horstman .359, 1 HR, 18 2B, 5 3B, 30 RBI, 11-15 SB; Frankie Montiel .346, 4 HR, 20 2B, 3 3B, 38 RBIs; Ernie Bracamonte .340, 7 HR, 47 RBIs; Freddy Lopez .329, 8 HR, 29 RBIs; Gary Gilbert .310, 3 HR, 13 2B, 33 RBIs

Pitchers to watch: Derek Herbig 4-4, 4.15; Mike Fitch 5-4, 5.38; Anthony Maupin 7-6, 5.74; Brad Smith 3-2, 10 S, 2.10

Noteworthy: Indians' top two projected pitchers entering the year, Bill Clayton and Jon Nourie, have combined for less than 12 innings because of season-ending arm injuries.

SAMFORD

Seed: No. 6

Record: 23-31, 15-12 OVC

Coach: Tim Parenton (140-240 in 7 years at SU)

Batting average: .290

Earned-run average: 5.36

Hitters to watch: Matt Alling .376, 3 HR, 12 2B, 7 3B, 45 RBIs; Michael Collins .333, 3 HR, 19 2B, 17 RBIs; Justin Worthington .325, 21 RBIs, 13-16 SB; Garrett Rice .302, 2 HR, 11 2B, 25 RBIs; Richard Bishop .212, 8 HR, 34 RBIs

Pitchers to watch: Joseph Edens 7-5, 3.71; Stephen Artz 5-5, 3 S, 3.87; Brady Lee 2-3, 5.67; Karl Huch 4-6, 5.91

Noteworthy: Bulldogs recovered from an 0-11 conference start to win 15 of their last 16 league games, including 13 in a row at one point...they also joined the OVC from the Atlantic Sun Conference.