SE TO FACE PERENNIAL POWER OKLAHOMA ST.

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team will continue its rugged early season schedule with three more games away from home over the next two days, including a contest against one of the nation's premier squads.

The Indians are in Stillwater, Okla., today, where they will face Central Oklahoma at 11:30 a.m. and nationally ranked Oklahoma State at 3 p.m.

Southeast will remain in Stillwater Friday to face Princeton at 11:30 a.m. All of the games will be at Oklahoma State's Allie P. Reynolds Field.

"It's going to be another challenging stretch of games for us," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "We've played some outstanding competition so far and this should be more of the same."

The Indians have a 7-4 record despite having already played seven road games, including five combined contests against nationally ranked South Alabama and Southeast Conference foe Mississippi.

Today's first opponent, Central Oklahoma, is a Division II team, but the Bronchos don't figure to be pushovers. They have made two national tournament appearances -- finishing second in 1999 -- and are off to a 9-4 start this year.

Oklahoma State's credentials stack up with just about any major college program in the country. Since 1954, the Cowboys have made 31 NCAA regional appearances and have competed in the College World Series 19 times.

This season, the Cowboys are off to an 11-3 start that has them ranked 14 and 15th, respectively, in the two major national polls.

"They are one of the top programs in the country year in and year out," Hogan said. "Facing them is going to be a major challenge for us."

Princeton has not yet played a game this season, but the Tigers were in the NCAA Tournament last year.

Southeast's starting pitchers for the three games are scheduled to be Todd Pennington (1-0, 1.42 earned-run average) against Central Oklahoma, Tommy Thomas (1-2, 0.90) against Oklahoma State and Brad Purcell (1-1, 2.63) against Princeton.

Pennington was named the Ohio Valley Conference co-pitcher of the week on Wednesday for his performance against Arkansas State last week, when he allowed just one hit and no runs over six innings of a 7-0 victory.

As a group, the Indians' pitching staff has an impressive 2.89 ERA.

"Our pitching has been outstanding so far, and against some very good competition" said Hogan.

Offensively, the Indians have not been overwhelming as they are batting just .262 as a team.

But several players are off to strong starts, including second baseman Clemente Bonilla (.486) and shortstop Zach Borowiak (.439, team-high 15 runs batted in).

Borowiak was named the OVC co-player of the week on Wednesday as he went 5-for-9 in a pair of Indian victories.

Southeast's has only two other two full-time regulars who are hitting better than .200, but third baseman Denver Stuckey and catcher Jeff Bourbon are both well over that mark as each is batting .324.