Redhawks take aim at OVC's lead dog

~ Southeast hosts Samford in a three-game weekend series beginning today.

Southeast Missouri State will try to slow down the Ohio Valley Conference's hottest baseball team over the next two days.

Samford also is arguably the OVC's most surprising squad through the early portion of the league schedule.

The Bulldogs, coming off an eighth-place finish and picked sixth in the preseason poll, have bolted to an 8-1 conference start to lead the pack.

Samford, 18-15 overall, and Southeast (13-18, 4-5 OVC) will square off in a three-game series at Capaha Field. There will be a 1 p.m. doubleheader today and a 1 p.m. contest Saturday.

"It's going to be a big challenge for us against a team that is playing very well," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said.

The Bulldogs' 8-1 OVC mark has not been built against the league's lightweights.

Samford is coming off a three-game sweep of Austin Peay, which won last year's conference tournament and was picked first in the preseason poll. Prior to that series, the Bulldogs won two of three at defending OVC regular-season championship Jacksonville State, predicted to finish second this year.

"They've certainly beaten some very qualify teams already," said Hogan, whose squad dropped two of three at Jacksonville State in its most recent OVC series.

Samford features one of the league's premier pitchers in junior left-hander Josh Ehmke, a transfer from South Alabama. Ehmke is 5-2 with a 2.82 earned-run average. In 60 2/3 innings, he has allowed 53 hits, while striking out 70 and walking 24.

The Bulldogs have two other quality starters in David Knapp (4-2, 3.26) and Eric Lassiter (3-2, 2.81), along with closer Joseph Edens, who leads the OVC with six saves. Samford's team ERA is 5.00.

Offensively, Samford's .271 batting average is paced by Parker Gargis, a junior third baseman who leads the OVC with a .415 mark. He is also a reserve quarterback for the Bulldogs' football team.

Also hitting above .300 for the Bulldogs are Luke Peavy (.333), Louis Rojas (.324) and John Morgan (.302).

Southeast, in a four-way tie for the fifth through eighth spots in the OVC standings, will try to build on Wednesday's 9-5 win at Missouri, which was the Redhawks second straight victory over the Tigers.

The Redhawks will trot out their usual conference starting pitchers in Jamie McAlister (4-5, 3.77), Anthony Maupin (3-3, 5.60) and Derek Herbig (2-2, 5.22). Southeast's ERA is 5.13.

Southeast's offense has come on in recent games, as the Redhawks have boosted their batting average to .245 thanks to 30 hits in their last two games, including 17 against Missouri.

Senior Levi Olson continues to lead the Redhawks (.369), followed by freshman Aaron Rave (.345). Olson is the OVC's No. 6 hitter.