Southeast baseball preview: Pitching turnaround key to Redhawks' success

A struggling pitching staff was largely responsible for preventing the Southeast Missouri State baseball team from reaching its potential last year.

Veteran Southeast coach Mark Hogan believes the Redhawks have improved on the mound, but their offense faces plenty of question marks entering the 2010 season that begins Friday with the start of a three-game series at Auburn.

Southeast graduated some of the program's all-time elite hitters from a squad that started fast but faltered down the stretch.

The 2009 Redhawks took two out of three during a season-opening series at nationally ranked Alabama and began Ohio Valley Conference play 7-0. They were 11-4 more than halfway through the OVC schedule.

But Southeast lost nine of its final 10 games, including its last six, and went 0-2 in the OVC tournament for its quickest tournament exit since 2005.

Louie Haseltine emerged as a force in the Redhawks' lineup last season. He batted .325 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs.

"We got off to such a good start and it was disappointing the way the season ended," Hogan said.

Southeast, in going 26-25 overall and a fourth-place 12-11 in the nine-team OVC, did extend an impressive streak by qualifying for the OVC tournament a league-record 15th straight time.

The Redhawks never have missed the OVC tournament under Hogan, Southeast's all-time winningest baseball coach who has a 439-373-1 record entering his 16th season at his alma mater.

"That's something we're proud of and we'd like to keep it going," said Hogan, who led Southeast to NCAA regional berths in 1998 and 2002.

Southeast lost eight key seniors from last year. They represented four of the Redhawks' top six hitters by average, along with their top two home run hitters, their top three RBI men and their top pitcher, who won seven games. No other Southeast hurler posted more than three victories as the mound staff's 6.76 ERA was the highest by far during Hogan's tenure.

Among those gone from last year are right fielder Tyrell Cummings (.386, nine homers, 55 RBIs), first baseman Matt Wagner (.335, 13 homers, 53 RBIs), left fielder Justin Wheeler (.335, 13 homers 53 RBIs), second baseman Tony Spencer (.307, team-high 18 stolen bases) and mound ace James Leigh (7-3, 4.89 ERA).

"We lost a great group of seniors and we've got a lot of question marks. We've got four or five spots up for grabs and it will take us some time to sort it out," Hogan said. "We'll see how the hitting goes. It will be difficult to do what we did last year.

"But this is the best [pitching] staff we've had for several years. As long as we stay healthy, we're going to get back with the staff to where we were in the early 2000s. I'm really excited about our pitching and defense."

The Redhawks will try to make up for their losses with a blend of 16 returning players -- one a redshirt freshman -- and 19 newcomers, including 13 junior college transfers.

"We've got a great mix of new and old," Hogan said.

Southeast returns one of the OVC's top players in All-American senior catcher Jim Klocke.

Klocke, the 2007 OVC rookie of the year and the all-OVC first-team catcher the past two seasons, led Southeast in batting average (.394), doubles (20), runs (56), on-base percentage (.484) and walks (29) last year. He had nine homers and 46 RBIs.

In addition, Klocke ranked among the OVC leaders in saves with seven as he became Southeast's closer despite never before having pitched in college. He's also an Academic All-American.

"I'm excited to get the season started," Klocke said. "I don't think we'll have the big home run hitters we had last year, but I think there's more balance."

Southeast returns four other position regulars, including two who enjoyed strong seasons.

Junior Louie Haseltine, after just nine at-bats as a redshirt freshman in 2008, hit .325 with 11 homers, 37 RBIs and a team-high .667 slugging percentage while primarily serving as DH. He will open the season in right field.

Haseltine, the second-team all-OVC DH, led Southeast in conference play with eight homers and 30 RBIs. His .365 average in league games ranked third on the squad.

"I don't think we'll rely as much on the home run this year. We'll play more small ball," Haseltine said. "And I think we showed in the fall we've got a really good pitching staff."

Sophomore shortstop Kenton Parmley batted .306 to make the OVC all-freshmen team. He was third on the team with 13 stolen bases.

Senior center fielder Nick Harris (.254), entering his fourth season as a starter, struggled much of the year offensively but came on strong late. He was second on the squad with 16 doubles and 17 steals, while adding six homers and 35 RBIs.

Junior third baseman Trenton Moses (.258), an Advance product, rounds out the returning regulars.

Sophomore Kody Campbell from Oran had a solid freshman season, hitting .298 in 47 at-bats. He will open the season as the starting first baseman.

Other returning position players who saw limited action last season, are sophomore catcher Jesse Tierney (.176 in 34 at-bats) and junior outfielder Blake Slattery (.077 in 13 at-bats), a Central graduate who saw significant playing time as a freshmen in 2008 before battling injuries a year ago.

Among the position newcomers penciled in to start the season opener are three juco transfers: Taylor Heon at second base, Michael Adamson in left field and Ky Burgess at DH.

Other position newcomers expected to receive plenty of opportunities, according to Hogan, are juco transfers Brennan Malham, Tim Rupp and Brett Russell.

In the pitching department, senior Kyle Gumieny (3-2, 6.86) was a conference starter last year; junior Corey Harness (0-1, 4.55) had Southeast's top ERA and came on in the final week with two strong performances; and senior John Salazar (3-5, 5.88) had Southeast's only two saves not recorded by Klocke.

Other returning hurlers, who saw varying amounts of action, are junior Brad LaBruyere (3-1, 7.16) from Central; senior Kirk Boeller (1-0, 11.02) from Notre Dame; and senior left-hander Josh Syberg (3-2, 16.50), who made the OVC's all-freshmen team in 2007 when he was a conference starter.

Hogan believes the pitching staff has been bolstered by newcomers and two juco transfer left-handers who are scheduled to start this weekend.

Gumieny -- who Hogan said has improved considerably -- will get the nod Friday, followed by Logan Mahon on Saturday and Jordan Underwood on Sunday.

Among other new hurlers expected to have key roles, according to Hogan, are juco transfers Jon Dicus and Nick Thomas, along with freshman Shae Simmons from Scott City.

"It should be an interesting season," Hogan said. "We're excited to get started."