INDIANS SET TO BATTLE LAST-PLACE UT-MARTIN

Southeast Missouri State University baseball coach Mark Hogan's main objective for the Indians' next Ohio Valley Conference series is that they take Tennessee-Martin seriously.

The Skyhawks are in last place in the OVC and have won just five games all season, but Hogan is still concerned about the three-game set that begins today with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The squads will play a 1 p.m. single contest Saturday.

"If we overlook them, it will be a big mistake. It's something we'll talk about a lot," said Hogan. "Tennessee-Martin is struggling, but I won't look at their record. We have to go out and play the games.

"The last thing we can afford to do is take somebody for granted."

Southeast, at 23-12 overall and 6-3 in OVC play, is still very much in contention for the regular-season conference championship, but anything less than a sweep of the Skyhawks (5-29, 1-11 OVC) would severely hinder the Indians' chances.

Eastern Illinois is in first place in the eight-team league at 8-0, with Tennessee Tech second at 7-2 and Southeast third. Eastern Illinois visits preseason OVC favorite Austin Peay (3-3) this weekend, so if the Panthers stumble a bit the Indians could find themselves very close to the top of the standings.

But that's only if they take care of UT-Martin.

"If we take care of business and get some help (from Austin Peay), we could get really close (to first place)," Hogan said. "But we really can't worry about what others do. We just have to worry about what we do."

As might be expected from a team with a record like UT-Martin's, the Skyhawks rank last in the league in batting average (.253) and next-to-last in earned-run average (7.14). In addition, they bring up the rear in fielding percentage (.930).

But the Skyhawks do have one of the OVC's better hitters in Brad Meadows, who ranks in the top 10 in batting average at .374. UT-Martin's only other player above .300 is Bart Hammack (.301).

Southeast, with a .296 team batting average, entered the week fifth in the OVC, led by conference leader Clemente Bonilla at .450.

In the pitching department, even though the staff took a hit during Wednesday's 13-5 loss to Memphis, Southeast still has by far the OVC's best ERA at 3.56, led by league leader Todd Pennington, whose 1.21 mark ranks third nationally.

Pennington, who is 6-1, will start today's opener, with Brad Purcell (3-1, 4.20) going in the second game.

For Saturday's nine-inning contest, however, Hogan has shuffled things up as Brandon Smith (1-1, 4..62) will get his second start of the season in place of Tommy Thomas, who has struggled in his last two outings.

"Brandon has been throwing well and Tommy has been struggling, so we'll go with Brandon," said Hogan. "He's kind of tailor made to be a starting guy and we have a lot of confidence in him."