SE BASEBALL WILL HAVE BIG SPIKES TO FILL NEXT YEAR

Southeast Missouri State University baseball coach Mark Hogan realizes that a lot of people will expect a significant dropoff for the Indians next season.

After all, Southeast lost seven standout seniors -- all were major contributors -- off a squad that went 37-17 to shatter the previous school record for victories in a single season.

Graduating from this past year's team were outfielders Jeremy Johnson, Charlie Marino and Kevin Meyer; third baseman Darin Kinsolving; designated hitter Phil Warren; and pitchers Lanson Debrock and Dan Huesgen.

Those first five players combined to hit 72 of the Indians' school-record 92 home runs while the two hurlers had the top earned-run averages among Southeast's starters and combined for 13 victories.

"Those are some big shoes to fill," acknowledged Hogan.

But Hogan knows the Indians will have some talented players returning. And he believes the recruiting class that he recently finalized will definitely help ease the pain of the graduated stars.

"We obviously knew the guys we were losing due to graduation and we knew the type of players we needed to go out and try to get," Hogan said. "We feel like the potential is there for the new guys to step in and be solid Division I players.

"I feel good about the players we signed. I think we've satisfied our needs, but until we get them in here and see what they do, you don't know for sure."

One of the primary areas Hogan and his staff tried to address in the recruiting process was the outfield, since all three starters graduated.

Hogan hopes three junior-college transfers will help fill the void. Brian Hopkins and Tristan McDonald (a native of Australia) are both from Iowa Central Community College, which finished second in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Tournament, while Vern Hatton comes from Kishwaukee Community College in Illinois.

Hopkins, who redshirted one year at Iowa Central and will have three years of remaining eligibility at Southeast, batted .400 with 11 home runs to earn all-region honors last season.

McDonald, who also have three years of eligibility at Southeast because he was a medical redshirt last season due to a hand injury, batted .428 with 11 homers and 24 doubles two years ago at Iowa Central.

Hatton, who has two years of eligibility remaining, hit .380 with 10 homers, 11 triples and 10 doubles in juco play last season.

"We lose big holes in the outfield and those were huge signs for us," Hogan said. "All three filled major roles at their junior colleges. All three are very good hitters, and Hatton could also be used as a closer for us. He has a very strong arm."

Around the infield, the Indians landed another juco standout, Brad Simmons of Southwestern Iowa Community College, who is listed as a first baseman and possible designated hitter. Simmons, who has two years of eligibility left, batted .399 with five homers to earn all-region honors last season.

Also bolstering the infield with be Louisville transfer Matt Baldwin, who has two years of eligibility left. Baldwin, who started at shortstop as a freshman at Louisville, batted .326 while playing second base for the Cardinals last season.

Another major infield recruit who has been well-documented in local circles is Notre Dame High School product Josh Eftink, the area's premier slugger who was a shortstop in the prep ranks but will likely be moved to another infield position. Eftink batted .471 with10 homers and 35 RBIs for the Bulldogs as a senior.

"Simmons is a power hitter, Baldwin will be a big addition for us and everybody around here knows what kind of a hitter Josh has been," said Hogan. "Baldwin also had an excellent arm and could be a closer for us."

Two more high school infield recruits are second baseman/shortstop Kyle Neal from Indiana, who batted .495 with eight homers, 10 doubles, 40 RBIs and 19 stolen bases as a senior; and first baseman Eric Hoffman from St. Charles, Mo., who hit .464 with five homers and 36 RBIs.

The Indians signed five pitchers, led by the highly-touted Brad Purcell, another Iowa Central CC product who was the staff ace for the juco power. Purcell, also a native of Australia who has two years of eligibility left, was 8-2 with a 1.90 earned-run average last season and pitched a perfect game in the regional title game to lead Iowa Central to the national tourney.

Other juco mound recruits, who both have two years of eligibility remaining, are Greg Lunski from Los Angeles CC and Mike Robinson from Chemekteka CC in Oregon, the same juco that produced Meyer.

Lunski was 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA last season while Robinson went 8-3 with a 1.27 ERA.

"Purcell, who can get it up around 90 miles per hour, should pitch in the conference rotation next year and Lunski should also help us in the conference rotation," Hogan said. "Robinson has had surgery, but it was successful and he should also help us."

Two pitching signees from the prep ranks are Brad Beatty from Belleville, Ill., and Jeremy King from Paducah, Ky. King is the lone left-hander among the new hurlers.

Beatty, who might also play the outfield at Southeast, went 10-2 with a 1.95 ERA as a senior, and offensively he batted .479 with 42 RBIs. King went 6-2 with three saves and an 0.98 ERA while striking out 91 in just 40 innings pitched last season. He is also 7-0 this summer for Paducah's standout American Legion team.

"King has an exceptional breaking ball that should allow him to pitch early for us," said Hogan.

Added Hogan, "We'll have a bunch of new names in the lineup, but they're quality players. And coupled with the guys we've got coming back, I feel good about our potential for next season."

* Hogan also announced several recruited' walk-ons who will be joining the program in the fall. Those are players who were actively pursued by Southeast but will not be on any type of athletic scholarship.

Among the walk-ons are two local products, pitcher Mark Ostendorf of Notre Dame and catcher Ryan Beltz of Jackson, who actually attended Southeast last year but was not on the squad.