Southeast role player leads the Capahas with a .486 average

~ Blemker hopes his summer success carries over to school.

Zach Blemker's baseball career at Southeast Missouri State hasn't really gotten off the ground yet.

Blemker hopes a strong summer season with the Plaza Tire Capahas will help propel him into a big senior campaign with the Redhawks.

The native of Vincennes, Ind., leads the Capahas with a .486 batting average through the first 15 games of the season.

"I definitely feel like I can carry this over into the fall," said Blemker after Saturday's home doubleheader with the St. Louis Golden Spikes was washed out by a brief but heavy rain shower in the fourth inning of the opener.

After covering half of the infield with a protective tarp, Capahas players abandoned hope of continuing their game against the St. Louis Golden Spikes and began sliding on the tarp in the pouring rain. Members of the opposing team soon joined in on the antics before the game was called in the fourth inning. (AARON EISENHAUER ~aeisenhauer@semissourian.com)

"Things haven't really worked out for me yet [at Southeast], but I think this will really help me get back in the groove. I hope to make my senior year a good one."

Blemker is among 16 Southeast products playing for the Capahas this summer, but he is the only one with collegiate eligibility remaining.

In that regard, continuing to improve and gain confidence is probably more important for him than for most of his Plaza Tire teammates.

"I think this summer can be very important for Zach," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "If nothing else, getting that four times at bat a game.

"And for his confidence, this should be really good for him. I don't know why he can't have a really good season for SEMO next year."

Capahas first baseman Zach Blemker watched for a pickoff throw during Saturday's game against the St. Louis Golden Spikes at Capaha Field. Both games of the doubleheader were rained out.

Blemker, who can play a variety of infield positions, already has more at-bats during his first season with the Capahas than he had during his entire junior year at Southeast.

Blemker has 17 hits in 35 official plate appearances. He is tied for the team lead with two home runs while leading the squad with 18 runs scored. He also has two doubles and 10 RBIs.

"He's really raking the ball," Plaza Tire catcher Levi Olson said. "And he's been hitting whatever good pitching we face."

Blemker transferred to Southeast from Vincennes (Ind.) University -- a junior college -- for the 2006 season, but he redshirted after having elbow surgery.

He had high hopes for his junior campaign this year and began the season as the Redhawks' starting shortstop.

But Blemker struggled at the plate and soon found himself on the bench. He started four games the entire year, all coming in the opening weeks of the season.

Blemker wound up playing in 32 of Southeast's 56 games, but most of those appearances were either as a pinch-runner or late defensive replacement, primarily at first base.

Blemker finished with two hits in 25 at-bats for an .080 average.

"I just had a rough stretch at the start and never got back into the swing of things," Blemker said. "It was frustrating because I became a role player and I know I'm better than that."

Southeast coach Mark Hogan also believes Blemker can be much more than a role player for the Redhawks.

Hogan said he has taken notice of what Blemker is doing with the Capahas and, like the player himself, hopes it will carry over into fall workouts and then the 2008 season.

"I have noticed that," Hogan said. "I think Zach has the ability to be a good player for us and it's nice to see him doing well this summer."

Blemker, who has primarily played first base for the Capahas so far -- along with some third base and shortstop -- enjoyed plenty of success at Vincennes University playing for his father, junior college hall of fame coach Jerry Blemker.

In 2005, Blemker hit .471 to set a school record and rank sixth in the nation among junior college players.

"I hit well both my years there," Blemker said. "I know I'm capable of doing that again."

He's proving it with the Capahas, and hopes to also prove it during his final college season.

Games washed out

Plaza Tire led the Golden Spikes 4-2 entering the bottom of the fourth inning of the opener when rain started to fall.

Players rushed to cover the Capaha Field diamond, but the shower -- although brief -- was so heavy that it swamped about a third of the infield before the entire tarp could be put down.

"We just needed a few more minutes [before the rain hit]," Bolen said.

The Capahas (12-3) were looking to avenge Wednesday's 10-9 loss to the Golden Spikes (28-11) in St. Louis.

But the Capahas would have had to be leading after the top of the fifth inning for the game to become official.

None of the statistics count, so wiped out was Olson's first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the opening inning, when Plaza Tire scored four runs. Asif Shah had a two-RBI double in the frame.

Pitcher Jason Chavez, who leads the Capahas with a 4-0 record and has an 0.84 ERA, struck out eight in the four innings.

The Capahas host the Charleston Riverdogs at 2 p.m. today.