Southeast Missouri State University is very much in the thick of the Ohio Valley Conference race, trailing first-place Austin Peay by just two games.

But coach Mark Hogan knows the Indians will have to improve significantly on what has so far been a porous defense if they have any realistic hopes of challenging for the OVC's regular-season title.

Hogan figures that defensive upgrade must begin this weekend when Southeast (17-19, 7-5) visits Eastern Illinois (14-20, 8-4) for a three-game series. There will be a 1 p.m. doubleheader today and a 1 p.m. contest Sunday.

Southeast is in a three-way tie for fourth place among 10 teams. EIU is tied for second, one game behind 9-3 Austin Peay.

"We just haven't been a very good defensive team this year," Hogan said.

The statistics tell the story. Through 36 games, Southeast has committed 72 errors -- second-most in the OVC -- and its wobbly .945 fielding percentage ranks eighth in the league. In 51 games last season, the Indians had 71 errors and fielded .960.

Shortstop Ernie Bracamonte has struggled the most defensively. While often making spectacular plays, the junior-college transfer -- most of Southeast's lineup consists of first-year players -- has 16 errors and a .895 fielding percentage.

Eric Horstman, also a junior college transfer, is next with 12 errors, most of them coming at third base as he has been shuffled back and forth between that position and left field. He has primarily been playing left in recent games.

"I felt a lot better about our defense coming out of the fall than what we've been able to do," Hogan said. "It's hard to figure out. I know our guys are trying as hard as they can, and we've done just about everything to try and correct it, but it's just not working.

"We've been at .960 and above in fielding percentage for several years and you kind of take it for granted. But .945 is just not very good. We're giving teams way too many extra opportunities."

Injuries on the moundCompounding matters is the fact Southeast's pitching staff has been riddled by injuries. Bill Clayton and Jon Nourie, two of the Indians' top returning hurlers who were projected to be at or near the top of the starting rotation, have both missed virtually the entire season with injuries and won't return this year.

Another returning pitcher, Stan Skakalski, would have been a valuable middle relief man or midweek starter, but he has been out the past few weeks with an injury, although he should be back soon.

Southeast's conference rotation consists of junior college transfers Mike Fitch, Anthony Maupin and Derek Herbig.

"We're not very good on the mound right now once we get past three or four guys," Hogan said. "And our top guys had no Division I experience coming in, which makes it extra important that we play better defensively."

Southeast has a .296 batting average, which ranks fourth in the OVC, and the Indians are hitting .331 in conference games, good for third place.

Freshman Brent Lawson (.365), Horstman (.364), Bracamonte (.350), Freddy Lopez (.349) and Frankie Montiel (.333) lead the way offensively. All are first-year Indians, with Lopez and Montiel also junior college transfers.

Lopez tops the Indians with six home runs (tied for fifth in the OVC) while Bracamonte is first in RBIs with 32 (tied for second). Montiel leads in doubles with 13 (tied for fourth) and Horstman has four triples (tied for first) along with 12 doubles. Horstman is also third in the league in runs scored with 40.

The Indians have a .590 ERA to rank fourth in the conference, but their mark is just 6.69 in league play, which ranks seventh. Fitch (3-2, 4.88) and Herbig (3-3, 3.89) will start today, with Maupin (4-5, 5.34) going Sunday.

EIU carries a .302 batting average, ranking second in the league, and the Panthers' .337 average in conference games is also second. Among six full-time starters hitting better than .300, Ryan Campbell (.380). leads the way.

The Panthers' ERA is 7.85 for eighth in the OVC, but they are at a solid 4.62 in conference games for fourth place. Top starters have been Kirk Miller (2-4, 4.60) and Kyle Widegren (4-4, 7.21).

EIU has also not been tearing things up defensively with a .951 fielding percentage that ranks fifth in the league. The Panthers have 63 errors.