SOUTHEAST BASEBALL TO MAKE DEBUT AT CAPAHA

Coming off an impressive performance during a season-opening three-game series at national power Arkansas, Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team will now prepare for its first home action.

Martin Methodist, a strong NAIA team from Tennessee, will provide the opposition Wednesday in a 1 p.m. first pitch at Capaha Field.

This weekend, Iowa State of the Big 12 Conferences comes to Cape Girardeau for a pair of games, at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

"We're really looking forward to playing at home," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "Hopefully we'll have some nice crowds for the games."

Hogan was excited by the way the Indians opened the season at defending Southeastern Conference champion Arkansas over the weekend. All three games could have gone either way, Southeast losing 4-3 Friday and 3-1 Saturday before winning 8-7 Sunday.

"It was very exciting, just the way the entire ballclub played. We had great performances across the board," Hogan said. "I felt our team was really relaxed and ready to play. I was very pleased with the attitude and intensity the ballclub had, in a hostile environment against the SEC champions.

"No matter who you play, you wouldn't expect the outcome of every game to come down to the last inning and the last pitch. The first two games, we had the winning run at the plate or on base in the ninth inning and they were able to hold on, then we turned the tables on them the last game. It was a great experience for our team."

Southeast used virtually its entire pitching staff in the three games and most of the hurlers performed admirably.

"We threw the house at them and they all competed really well," said Hogan. "I was very pleased."

Hogan expects a strong challenge Wednesday from a Martin Methodist team that won more than 40 games last year and is off to a 2-2 start this season. The squad is coached by Jeff Dodson, a former player and assistant under Hogan at Livingston University.

"By no means are they going to be a pushover," said Hogan. "Jeff is a very fine young coach. I know he'll have them ready to go and athletically they'll be very talented. I'm expecting a real good ballgame."

The weekend series with Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference should also provide Southeast with plenty of solid opposition.

"They're in a great conference and I'm expecting them to be a good team," said Hogan of the Cyclones.