SEMO TABBED FOR SECOND-PLACE OVC FINISH

It's barely February, but that doesn't mean the college baseball season isn't right around the corner.

The Ohio Valley Conference has released its annual preseason poll and, based on voting by the league's head coaches, Southeast Missouri State University is expected to finish second behind favorite Austin Peay.

Austin Peay received four first-place votes and 46 points as the Governors look to capture their first OVC regular-season title since 1996.

Southeast nabbed two first-place votes and 42 points while defending regular-season champion Eastern Kentucky got the other two first-place votes and 41 points as the Colonels were picked third.

Eastern Illinois, which claimed OVC regular-season crowns in 1998 and 1999, was picked fourth with 28 points, followed by Tennessee Tech (25), Murray State (21), Morehead State (14) and Tennessee-Martin (7).

Austin Peay returns five starters and 2000 OVC Pitcher of the Year Mike Weel from a 32-27 squad that rebounded to win 12 of its final 15 games after suffering through an 11-game losing streak earlier in the season.

Southeast was an impressive 37-17 last year, which included runner-up finishes in the OVC regular season and tournament.

The Indians must replace a host of offensive standouts, including OVC Player of the Year and All-American Jeremy Johnson, but they do return several key players, led by pitchers Jeffrey Hilz and Tommy Thomas. Hilz was the 2000 OVC Newcomer of the Year.

"To be picked as high as second, especially when you consider everyone we lost, is a testament to the talented crop of players we have each year," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan.

Eastern Kentucky welcomes back four starters from a team that won its first OVC regular-season title since 1989.

Southeast will open the 2001 campaign next Friday when Iowa State visits Capaha Field for a 1 p.m. game that is the opener of a three-game series.