Southeast Missouri State baseball team to host Wright State

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team begins an eight-game homestand against a defending conference champion riding a hot streak.

Wright State visits Capaha Field for a three-game series starting at 1 p.m. today. There also will be contests at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

The 2010 Horizon League regular-season champion Raiders, from Dayton, Ohio, are 8-6. They have won four straight and eight of 10 after starting the season 0-4, including three one-run losses.

"They're playing well and we're playing well," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan, whose 10-7 Redhawks have won three of their last four. "It should be a really good series."

WSU, which lost in last year's Horizon League tournament final, is the conference's 2011 preseason favorite.

The Raiders perennially are a strong program with two NCAA regional berths over the past five years. They went 31-25 overall last season, 17-6 in league play.

"They've got an excellent program," Hogan said. "I've heard a lot of great things about them."

WSU returned the conference's top pitcher in junior Casey Henn, along with reigning coach of the year Rob Cooper.

Henn led the Horizon in ERA (3.19) and batting average against (.241) last year while ranking second with seven wins.

But Henn has struggled this season at 1-2 and a 7.50 ERA.

The Raiders are batting .293, led by Kody Krizman at .346. They have a 4.78 ERA, which leads the league. Michael Woytek has been their top starter at 2-1 and a 3.26 ERA.

Southeast is hitting .290 and leads the Ohio Valley Conference with a 3.09 ERA.

"I've just been really impressed by the way we've pitched," Hogan said.

Southeast plans to go with its normal weekend starting pitching rotation.

Senior left-hander Jordan Underwood (1-0, 2.08 ERA) will get the nod today, followed by seniors Jon Dicus (1-0, 2.21) on Saturday and Brad LaBruyere (2-0, 3.50) on Sunday.

"It's our last series before we start the conference [next weekend at home against Morehead State] and we want to keep playing well," Hogan said. "The weather is supposed to be good. Hopefully we'll get big crowds."