Indians are a big draw as the conference race heats up

mishow

You just can't beat fun at the old ballpark.

At least that's what the more than 1,100 fans at Capaha Field Saturday appeared to say as Southeast Missouri State University swept an Ohio Valley Conference baseball doubleheader from Tennessee-Martin.

Sure, the free beer and hot dogs provided by Kohlfeld Distributing helped boost the attendance. And so did the 70-plus degree weather, although it did rain for just a while.

But the big attraction just might very well have been another OVC-contending team that coach Mark Hogan and his staff have put together.

The Indians' record is just 16-13, but make no mistake about it. This definitely appears to be one of the stronger squads Southeast has fielded under Hogan's highly successful tenure.

That overall mark is obscured by the brutal schedule the Indians have faced, with eight of the losses to powerhouse teams Oklahoma, Wichita State and Southwest Missouri. The first two are nationally ranked while the latter is just votes shy of breaking into the polls.

More importantly, the Indians are 6-2 in the OVC and have moved into first place in the conference.

The Indians have been second in the OVC's regular season each of the past three years and have four second-place finishes in seven seasons under Hogan, who has led the Tribe to one OVC Tournament championship and one NCAA Tournament appearance.

This might very well be the year the Indians finally break through and claim their first OVC regular-season title, although the bulk of the league schedule is still ahead of them.

But whether or not that happens, it's definitely worth it for the fans to continue filling up Capaha Field.

Even if there's no free beer and food.

Former Southeast football standout Jason Witzcak began his first season in NFL Europe Saturday as his Rhein Fire played Amsterdam.

The six-team NFL Europe primarily consists of players hopeful of either making it to or making it back to the NFL. Witzcak, a placekicker, was cut by the Tennessee Titans last summer in his first shot at the NFL, but the Titans signed him again earlier this year and placed him in NFL Europe.

Witzcak was a Division I-AA All-American punter for Southeast in 2000.

Another former Southeast football player, quarterback Bobby Brune, recently attended an NFL scouting combine in Chicago.

Brune, a Central High School graduate who completed his eligibility at Southeast in 2001, hopes to land in an NFL training camp this summer.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.