Indians kick off weekend series with Alabama today

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team will look to duplicate one of its biggest wins ever when the Indians open the season today with a 6:30 p.m. contest against Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Indians and Crimson Tide also will play Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Last year, Southeast won an NCAA regional game for the first time by upsetting Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Tide, one of the nation's top teams last season, came back to eliminate the Indians from the regional.

"That was a tremendous experience," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said. "We're looking forward to going back there again."

Alabama, which went 51-15 and won the Southeastern Conference Tournament last year, lost five position starters and is not ranked, but the Tide is 3-1 with a victory over second-ranked Rice.

"It's going to be a big challenge for us, but we're excited about the opportunity to play a program like that," Hogan said.

Track team hosts only indoor home meet today

Southeast's track and field program will have its only home meet of the indoor season today when Alabama-Birmingham, Murray State and Tennessee-Martin visit the Student Recreation Center.

The women's meet will include all four schools, while the men's meet will be a dual between Southeast and Murray State. Field events begin at 4 p.m., with the first running event scheduled for 6 p.m. The final running event is set for 8 p.m.

"This should be a good test for our women," Southeast coach Joey Haines said. "Our men will be heavy favorites over Murray State, but there should be competition in the throws and distance events."

Southeast has several standouts in the field events, including Central High School graduate Heather Jenkins and Jay Heddell.

Jenkins, who qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Meet in the discus last year as a freshman, has the Ohio Valley Conference's best marks this season in the shot put and 20-pound weight throw. She recently set the school record in the weight throw with 56 feet 1/2 inch and her best in the shot put is 48-0 1/2.

Heddell has provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Meet in the shot put with a throw of 58-8 that is the best in the OVC. Teammate Brandon Myer has the OVC's second-best throw.

Freshman Andrew Lambert, of Sikeston has the OVC's top high jump (6-8 1/4), while freshman Michele Jett has the league's best pole vault (10-6).

-- From staff reports