YOUNT, MARINO SHARE PLAY-IN MVP

Kyle Yount and Charlie Marino have been two of Southeast Missouri State University's best and most consistent baseball players this season.

So it was perhaps only fitting that they shared MVP honors of the NCAA play-in series held Friday and Saturday at Capaha Field.

Both were extremely instrumental in helping the Indians beat Southern University twice without a loss. Southeast thus advances to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in school history.

"Both those young men are very deserving," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "They've been such a big part of our ballclub all season."

Yount, a junior second baseman from Caledonia, and Marino, a junior left fielder from California, each had five hits and drove in three runs in the two games.

"A lot of guys had good tournaments, but it's always nice to hear your name called," said a smiling Yount, the Indians' leading hitter with a .355 average after batting .302 last year. "But the main thing is what the team did. This (making the NCAA tourney) is something I've kind of dreamed of since I've been here."

Making Yount's accomplishments at Southeast even a bit more special is the fact his father, Steve, played for the Indians in the early 1970s. Steve was also his son's coach at Caledonia Valley High School.

"My dad having played here is one of the reasons I chose to come here," Yount said. "He's always here at every game, which makes it nice."

While Yount is in his third season with the Southeast program, Marino has made an extremely big splash in his debut campaign after transferring from a California junior college.

Marino has tied the school record for home runs in a single season with 20 and he also leads the Indians in RBIs with 50 while carrying a .335 average.

"It's nice for both of us," said Marino of the co-MVP honor.

Like Yount, Marino was thrilled by the fact Southeast will be competing in the NCAA tourney.

"That's unreal. It's really exciting," said Marino, who added with a laugh, "And we'll get to fly, which is really good."

* Pairings for the 48-team NCAA Tournament will be announced at 2 p.m. Monday on ESPN.

The Southeast coaching staff and team members will gather at the Holiday Inn Tap Room to watch the announcement of where the Indians will be assigned for a regional tournament that begins Thursday.

Regionals will be held at Clemson, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Louisiana State, Texas A&M, Wichita State and Stanford.

The public is invited to join the Indians for Monday's telecast at the Holiday Inn.