INDIANS LEAVE NO DOUBT IN LOCKING UP SECOND PLACE

It hasn't been the smoothest of seasons for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team.

The Indians lost their top two power hitters from 1998 -- Charlie Marino and Robert Kern -- to season-ending injuries early in the year. And later they suffered through assorted other ailments.

But as the regular season came to a close Sunday, the Indians found themselves in the same position as last year -- when they wound up having their best-ever Division I season.

Southeast's 14-6 rout of visiting Tennessee Tech Sunday clinched second place in the Ohio Valley Conference for the Indians, who on Saturday had locked up the host spot for the OVC Tournament.

Last year, the Indians also finished second in the OVC's regular season, earned the right to host the league tournament -- Eastern Illinois, which has won the past two regular-season titles, has no lights on its field and is not eligible to host -- and won the tourney to make its first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance.

"I'm just so proud of the guys," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan. "We had to overcome a lot this year, with the injuries and everything. But we've just got a bunch of tough guys on the team a they're also class people, which is very important."

The Indians, 27-25 overall, finished OVC play at 15-8. As it turned out, they didn't need to win Sunday after Eastern Kentucky lost, meaning Southeast had clinched second place and would secure the all-important No. 2 seed for the tournament, which means a first-round bye.

But the Indians made sure they would carry plenty of momentum into the six-team league tournament that begins Thursday at Capaha Field.

In fact, the Indians thought all along they needed the victory because Hogan elected not to tell his players of the Eastern Kentucky result.

"I knew (of the Eastern Kentucky loss) in about the second inning and I told my assistants," Hogan said. "But I just wanted the kids to play their game.

"It feels good because we played under pressure and got the job done. We dominated in every phase today. We played great defense, our offense was outstanding and our pitching was very good."

Southeast belted six home runs among its 18 hits, getting a three-homer performance from Jeff Bourbon, who drilled consecutive two-run shots in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings.

"I was seeing it pretty well," said a smiling Bourbon, who now has 11 home runs this year. "It's my first three-homer game on any level. I've had some two-homer games, but this feels good.

"And it feels great to get second place and host the tournament. It was awesome last year and we're really looking forward to it because we have such great fans."

Also for the Indians, Darin Kinsolving belted his team-high 13th homer of the season, Jeremy Johnson -- the OVC's leading hitter -- got his 11th and freshman Clemente Bonilla Jr. got his fourth.

Kyle Yount and Steve Lowe matched Bourbon in having three hits while Bonilla and Phil Warren both added two.

Tech (17-36, 7-17 OVC) also joined the homer party with three, by Gabe Zook, Ray Wear and Michael Meihls.

But this day belonged to the Indians, who overcame an early 2-0 deficit. Southeast tied it in the third, then scored two in the fourth and three in the fifth as the rout was on.

Chad Bogenpohl (5-2) pitched seven strong innings for the win. He allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out eight.

"Bogie could have gone more but we wanted to let some other guys throw a little," said Hogan.

The Indians sparkled on defense, with Bogenpohl, shortstop Lowe and second baseman Yount all turning in dazzling plays. Southeast did not commit an error.

As the game got out of hand in the late going, Hogan was able to substitute freely and get virtually all of his seniors into the game.

"It was nice to let everybody play," he said. "The guys did a fantastic job this year and we're looking forward to the tournament."