Southeast stresses wins over personal records

Southeast Missouri State's record-setting baseball offense is closing in on more school history.

The Redhawks would much rather focus on wins as they continue their chase of an Ohio Valley Conference championship during their final home action of the season this weekend.

Southeast and Austin Peay will square off in a three-game series at Capaha Field. There will be a 2 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a 1 p.m. Senior Day contest Sunday.

Saturday's twin bill originally was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. but was moved so that Southeast players can attend an honors convocation as part of the university's spring commencement.

Southeast (27-20, 10-6) is third in the nine-team OVC, one game behind first-place Murray State and percentage points behind second-place Tennessee Tech. All three squads have six contests left.

Southeast Missouri State senior Jim Klocke lines up a base hit against Murray State during a game earlier this season at Capaha Field. (LAURA SIMON)

"Records are nice if they come, but we're really working on putting a [championship] ring on our finger," junior left fielder Michael Adamson said. "We need to get after it this weekend."

The Redhawks already have stamped themselves as one of the top offensive teams in school history, their 402 runs and 597 hits breaking program records.

With a .351 batting average, Southeast is in range of the school-record .354 mark established in 1986.

Several Southeast players have a chance to break notable individual school records this weekend.

Senior All-American catcher Jim Klocke, who already ranks high on many of the program's single-season and career lists, is two RBIs from surpassing the career mark of 184.

"That stuff's nice, but it's more something you think about when you're done playing," said Klocke, one of the top performers in Southeast baseball history and among a handful of seniors who will close out their home careers this weekend. "What the team does is more important."

Sophomore shortstop Kenton Parmley is tied for the single-season runs scored record of 62; junior third baseman Casey Jones is six RBIs from breaking the single-season record of 67; and Adamson is six hits from breaking the single-season record of 87.

In addition, several other players already have pushed their way on to various single-season top 10 lists.

"Personal achievements are great, but the team means more," Parmley said. "It will be nice to be in the record books, but it will be nicer for the team to be there if we can win championships."

Southeast coach Mark Hogan couldn't agree more, adding that success in this weekend's series against Austin Peay then a series at Eastern Illinois on May 21 and 22 is crucial.

"It's been a phenomenal year in a lot of different ways. Most of it has been individually," Hogan said. "But nothing is more important than the ultimate goal of winning the OVC.

"We've put ourselves in position, and these last two weekends will determine things."

While Southeast is challenging for the OVC regular-season title, Austin Peay (23-23, 4-11) is last in the league and in danger of missing the six-team conference tournament for the second consecutive year.

It will take quite a finish for the Govs to qualify. They have to win at least four of their final six games to avoid elimination from tournament contention but are not guaranteed a spot if they win out.

"I know it's been a disappointing season for them. I can't really put my finger on it," Hogan said. "The season's on the line for them, but it is for a lot of clubs, including us. It's do or die for everybody."

The Govs are eighth in the OVC in hitting (.301) and have scored the third fewest runs in the league (336), while Southeast has scored the second most runs.

In the pitching department, Southeast's 6.39 ERA is second while Austin Peay's 6.81 mark ranks seventh.

"I know they're not having the season they wanted, but we can't look past anybody," Adamson said.

Neither club enters the series on a roll.

Despite having solid overall and OVC records, Southeast has lost five of its last six.

That includes a three-game nonconference sweep at the hands of Nebraska last weekend in which the Redhawks were outscored 36-11.

Austin Peay also has lost five of six, including a three-game OVC sweep at the hands of Tennessee Tech last weekend in which the Govs were outscored 31-6.

"We've had a lot of highs this year, but we've also had some downfalls," Parmley said. "We need to play well this weekend."