Coaches pick Govs, Indians to finish 1-2

Austin Peay's and Southeast Missouri's baseball teams have been picked to finish 1-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference in a preseason vote of the league's head coaches.

Austin Peay, which last won the conference title in 1996, received seven of the eight first-place votes in compiling 49 points. The Governors return five starters from last year's 32-30 team which reached the OVC Tournament championship game last season, including junior catcher A.J. Ellis and senior third baseman Michael Johnson, both All-OVC performers a year ago. Austin Peay also returns its top three starters on the mound.

Southeast, the OVC regular-season runner-up in a 34-20 season last year, collected 40 points in the poll to finish just ahead of defending regular-season champion Eastern Illinois, which had 38 points and the other first-place vote. Southeast returns the 2001 OVC Player of the Year in senior second baseman Clemente Bonilla and All-OVC junior shortstop Zach Borowiak.