courtesy rivals.com
You will be hard pressed to find a program more motivated entering the season than Eastern Illinois.
The Panthers tallied some marquee wins last season and compiled an impressive 36-14 record as a northern school. They also won the OVC regular season title by more than two games over second-place Murray State.
Somehow, the NCAA Selection Committee felt EIU didn’t deserve a regional bid.
Murray State and Morehead State are programs that made strides last season. Both are expected to be very offensive this season. There’s also Tennessee Tech, which welcomes back six position starters and one of the league’s best pitchers in Lee Henry.
Austin Peay will be improved, while Southeast Missouri must find a way to overcome some tough losses to once again finish in the top half of the conference.
AT A GLANCE
Regular-season winner last season: Eastern Illinois
Tournament winner last season: Tennessee Tech
New coaches: None
Coach on the rise: Jim Schmitz, Eastern Illinois
Rising stock: Murray State
Falling stock: Southeast Missouri
Regional contenders: Eastern Illinois
Injuries to note: Richie Derbak, Eastern Illinois (will only pitch), Adam Liberatore (arm, miss a few weeks), Tennessee Tech, Jared Dobbs (shoulder), Tennessee Tech, Greg Bachman (shoulder), Austin Peay, Matt Fyffe (shoulder), Eastern Kentucky, Jim Clancy (shoulder), Eastern Kentucky, Chris Hord (shoulder), Eastern Kentucky.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
C Jim Klocke, Southeast Missouri
1B Wes Cunningham, Murray State
2B Jonathan Craycraft, Murray State
SS Drew Lee, Morehead State
3B Jayson Langfels, Eastern Kentucky
OF Todd Cunningham, Jacksonville State
OF Daniel Hill, Murray State
OF J.D. Ashbrook, Morehead State
DH A.J. Kirby-Jones, Tennessee Tech
SP Mike Recchia, Eastern Illinois
SP Chris Craycraft, Murray State
SP Lee Henry, Tennessee Tech
RP Bill Henke, Jacksonville State
BEST PITCHER
Mike Recchia, Eastern Illinois
BEST HITTER
Drew Lee, Morehead State