Redhawks baseball expects improved UTM team

Southeast Missouri State baseball coach Mark Hogan has some words of caution for anybody who thinks Tennessee-Martin will be an easy touch this weekend.

"They're a lot better than they've been in the past, and they always seem to give us a tough time anyway," Hogan said. "I look for a very competitive series."

The Skyhawks appear improved over many of the program's previous teams that owned the Ohio Valley Conference basement.

That has Hogan wary entering the three-game series that begins with today's 1 p.m. doubleheader at Capaha Field. The squads play a 1 p.m. contest Sunday.

Hogan hopes the Redhawks (13-8, 3-0) can build on last weekend, when they swept their OVC-opening series at Tennessee Tech.

"It was a great way for us to start conference play," Hogan said.

Standing in the way will be a UTM club that is 9-10 overall and has not played a conference contest. Like Southeast, the Skyhawks are riding a three-game winning streak.

UTM is one victory away from matching its win total from 2008, when the Skyhawks went 10-41 overall and a last-place 5-20 in the OVC.

Since joining the OVC in 1993, the Skyhawks' highest conference finish has been seventh and they never have qualified for the league tournament.

Since 1995, UTM has been either last or tied for last in the OVC in all but two seasons.

"I know they'll come in here with some confidence because of what they've done so far," Hogan said.

A much improved offense has sparked UTM's resurgence.

The Skyhawks rank third in the nine-team OVC with a .332 batting average while putting up a solid 7.8 runs per game and ranking fourth in home runs with 26.

Six UTM regulars are hitting better then .300, led by seniors Mark Hartsfield (.446), Scott Gladstone (.413) and Miles Hartsfield (.411). They rank fifth, eighth and ninth in the OVC.

Gladstone enters the weekend with a 15-game hitting streak.

Mark Hartsfield has seven home runs -- the OVC leaders have eight -- while Miles Hartsfield is tied for fourth in the league with 28 RBIs.

"Their offense is probably the biggest difference in their club this year," Hogan said. "Just looking at the numbers, they're swinging the bats really well."

UTM's pitching has not been as strong as its bats. The Skyhawks are eighth in the nine-team OVC in ERA (7.38) and runs allowed (8.8 per game). Opponents are hitting .330 against the Skyhawks.

That means Southeast's offense could make plenty of noise this weekend.

The Redhawks are batting .314 and averaging 7.9 runs per game. They rank second in the OVC with 33 homers.

Southeast regulars batting better than .300 are senior second baseman Tony Spencer (.405), senior first baseman Matt Wagner (.373), junior catcher Jim Klocke (.365), senior right fielder Tyrell Cummings (.350) and sophomore third baseman Trenton Moses (.329).

Spencer is the OVC's 10th-best hitter and is tied for second in stolen bases with 10.

Senior left fielder Justin Wheeler is tied for the OVC home run lead with eight. Wagner is right behind at seven, along with 22 RBIs. Klocke, Cummings and Wheeler all have 21 RBIs.

Southeast's pitching staff stepped up during the Tennessee Tech series. The Redhawks held a solid offense to nine runs in three games.

"That was encouraging," Hogan said.

Junior college transfer Kyle Gumieny (1-2, 6.29 ERA), senior left-hander James Leigh (3-0, 2.90) and senior Todd Strahlendorf (1-0, 4.70) all turned in solid starting performance against the Eagles.

They again will get the ball this weekend. Gumieny will start today's nine-inning opener, Leigh will work the seven-inning nightcap and Strahlendorf will go in Sunday's nine-inning series finale.

Leigh has the OVC's seventh-best ERA among pitchers with enough innings to qualify. He also ranks second in strikeouts and is tied for third in wins.

"Hopefully they can give us what they gave us at Tech," Hogan said.

Southeast's bullpen also was stout last weekend, led by the performance of first-year closer Klocke.

Klocke, who ranks among the OVC's top hitters, never had pitched an inning in college before this season.

He's recorded an OVC-leading five saves to go along with one win so far. He has allowed seven hits and one walk while striking out 11 in 10 2/3 innings. His ERA is 1.69.