Redhawks receive reprimand from OVC

~ Hogan and Olson were called out for comments to newspaper.

It appears as if Southeast Missouri State baseball coaches and players better start watching what they say to the local newspaper.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan and catcher Levi Olson were issued public reprimands on Tuesday by the Ohio Valley Conference for publicly criticizing the umpires following Friday's OVC doubleheader against Samford.

The OVC apparently took the action based on comments by Hogan and Olson that appeared in Saturday's Southeast Missourian. The reprimand carries no consequences, other than for the OVC to let people know that it does not condone such public criticism.

"The Ohio Valley Conference expects coaches and student-athletes to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner at all times," OVC commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher said in a statement released by the OVC.

Continued Steinbrecher, who issued the reprimand: "The comments made by Coach Hogan and Mr. Olson were inappropriate and are not in keeping with the high expectations maintained by Southeast Missouri State University, nor are they consistent with the standards of sportsmanship and ethical conduct held by the Ohio Valley Conference."

Critical of umpire's call

Hogan and Olson were deemed to be critical of an umpire's call that took place during the top of the third inning of Friday's first game at Capaha Field.

Samford's Michael Marseco was on second base with two outs when Parker Gargis singled to left field. Southeast left fielder Dustin Pritchett threw the ball to Olson, who tagged Marseco for what appeared to be the third out.

Home plate umpire Mike Thomas ruled Olson had obstructed Marseco's path to the plate, which drew objection from Hogan. Marseco was allowed to score, and another run also came home later in the inning.

Southeast wound up losing 6-5, and after the contest Hogan was ejected for the second game for comments he made to the umpires.

When asked what kind of an explanation Thomas had given him, Hogan told the Southeast Missourian: "He couldn't explain it. I said if there's no throw, it's obstruction. Where is he supposed to catch the ball? It cost us the game."

Olson said to the newspaper: "He said it was obstruction. I asked him where I should stand. You're not supposed to be in the sliding lane without the ball. I thought I had the ball.

"It's a judgment call. I thought it was poor judgment."

Said Southeast athletic director Don Kaverman in the OVC release: "Southeast Missouri State University is fully supportive of the OVC sportsmanship policy and concurs with the actions the conference has taken to deal with this situation."

Prep senior signs

Southeast recently signed St. Louis area high school standout Louis Haseltine to a national letter of intent.

Haseltine, an outfielder/first baseman for DeSmet High School, batted .390 as a junior last year, with two home runs and 22 RBIs. He helped lead the Spartans to a state runner-up finish in Class 4.

"Louis will be a good player for us and we feel fortunate to have signed him," Hogan said. "He has great patience at the plate and sprays the ball to all fields."

Haseltine will join 11 other players Southeast landed during the fall early signing period in November on the 2007 Redhawks' team.