CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri softball team opens its season at the Mardi Gras Classic this weekend. Southeast will play five games in three days, with opening day slated against Alabama State at 2 p.m., CT, Friday.

Mardi Gras Classic Schedule
Friday, Feb. 13 - Southeast Missouri vs. Alabama State, 2 p.m. | Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 13 - Southeast Missouri at UL Monroe, 7 p.m. | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 14 - Southeast Missouri vs. Alabama State, 9 a.m. | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 14 - Southeast Missouri vs. Grambling State, 1 p.m. | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 15 - Southeast Missouri vs. Grambling State, 10 a.m. | Live Stats

2015 Season Outlook

A new era in Southeast Missouri softball begins under the direction of first-year head coach Mark Redburn.

Redburn was introduced as the fourth head coach in Southeast softball history on June 26, 2014. He won 90 games in five years as head coach at the University of Evansville prior to coming to Cape Girardeau.

A native of St. Charles, Mo., Redburn inherits a roster of 19 players for his first season as the Redhawks coach. Included in that total are a pair of All-Ohio Valley Conference performers in Savannah Carpenter and Haylee Krack, and seven freshmen. Southeast also brings back seven position starters and two pitchers from a year ago.

"We are trying to get all of the things we put together and learned from the fall in place," said Redburn. "Right now, we are trying to get our kids comfortable in knowing what we want and how we play the game. We have been focused on amping up our energy level in preparation for the upcoming season."

The 2015 squad marks the 39th team in Southeast softball history and here is an in-depth look at the Redhawks:

Catcher

Junior Chelsea Smith (Webb City, Mo.) and freshman Riley Hayes (Jefferson City, Mo.) are expected to share starting duties behind the plate this season.

Smith hit .227 with nine runs scored, four doubles and 11 RBI in 45 games as the Redhawks starting catcher a year ago. She gunned down a OVC-best 19 baserunners in 43 starts.

Hayes joins the Redhawks from Jefferson City High School, where she was a two-time All-Region and All-District honoree. Hayes wrapped up her successful prep career by hitting .398 as a senior.

"Chelsea and Riley both do things well and kind of feed off each other a little bit," said Redburn. "I anticipate both of them seeing a lot of the action, especially early on."

Infield

Southeast's infield will be without OVC All-Newcomer selection Haylee Krack (Moline, Ill.), who is out for the season with an ACL injury. Krack will, however, be back with the Redhawks in 2016.

Krack was the only player to start all 45 games last season, making 32 of her starts at third base. She led the team with 10 home runs and ranked third in the OVC with a .589 slugging percentage in her first season at Southeast.

Fellow All-Conference honoree and junior Savannah Carpenter (Newbury Park, Calif.) will shift to the hot corner.

Carpenter, a First-Team All-OVC pick, made 21 of her 42 starts at first base last season. A NFCA Second-Team All-Region selection, Carpenter broke Southeast's single-season record with a .424 batting average. She led the Redhawks in eight offensive categories, including hits (53), at-bats (125), doubles (9), triples (1), RBI (29), total bases (82), slugging percentage (.656) and on-base percentage (.483).

"Savannah has done a really good job and attacks the short game well," said Reburn. "She has embraced that and enjoys that position."

Freshman Darby Pruett (Corning, Ark.) is behind Carpenter at third.

Pruett was a First-Team All-State, All-Region and All-Conference selection at Naylor R-2 High School. She hit .570 with 11 home runs her senior year.

"Darby swings the bat well and hits for power," commented Redburn. "I know she will see some time in the lineup, especially offensively."

At shortstop, junior Leah Duffe (Moscow, Iowa) returns after making 36 starts there in her first year at Southeast last season.

Duffe hit .262 with 15 runs scored, three home runs and 14 RBI in 39 contests.

"Leah is learning our system and how we do things defensively in coverages," said Redburn. "She got some valuable experience at that position as a sophomore."

Freshman India Davis (Conyers, Ga.) will challenge at short.

Davis attended Rockdale High School, earning All-Region honors three of her prep seasons.

Senior Meaghan Touchette (Columbia, Ill.) is the frontrunner at second base.

Touchette made 14 of her 27 starts at second base in 2014. She collected nine hits, three of which were home runs.

Duffe can also play second if the need arises.

Senior Lindsey Patterson (Anna, Ill.) is projected to start at first base.

Patterson hit .270 with 18 runs scored, three home runs and 15 RBI last season. She underwent labrum surgery over the summer, but enters the 2015 campaign at full strength.

"Lindsey has done a great job," said Redburn. "She has recovered well from her surgery and is pretty much 100 percent."

Senior Jamie Woodworth (Sparta, Ill.) will back up Patterson at first.

Woodworth is looking to build on a strong 2014 season which saw her rank second on the team with a .330 batting average.

Outfield

Although she was limited to eight games due to injury last season, senior Alexis Anderson (Buford, Ga.) is the heavy favorite in left field.

Anderson hit .346 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBI in just 26 at-bats leading up to her injury a year ago.

Prior to that, Anderson garnered First-Team All-OVC honors after hitting .403 in 2013.

Like Anderson, newcomer Kayla Fortner (Cedar Hill, Mo.) has also had her share of injuries.

A senior, Fortner takes over as Southeast's starting center fielder. She started three years under Redburn at Evansville before transferring to Southeast. Fortner will play with an elbow brace.

"Kayla is a huge part of our outfield and directs both left and right field very well," said Redburn. "She is a smart, experienced player, who has an understanding of how we do things. She is a hard-working kid that plays hard even when she's hurt."

Fortner hit .288 and registered a .987 fielding percentage in 51 starts at UE last season.

Freshman Taylor McDannold (Rocheport, Mo.) is another newcomer who will start right away.

McDannold lettered all four years at Rock Bridge High School, where she took Second-Team All-State honors as a senior. She will be in right field. 

"Taylor runs well and is very aggressive," said Redburn.

Sophomore Nicole Deering (Nashville, Ill.) along with freshmen Shelby Eccles (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Claire Wernig (Imperial, Mo.) add to the outfield depth.

Pitching

For the second year in a row, Southeast will rely heavily on a freshman inside the circle.

Rookie Madeline Krumrey (Wildwood, Mo.) is expected to assume the role as the Redhawks No. 1 pitcher.

"Maddie is going to see a lot of action for us and will probably be our No. 1," confirmed Redburn. "Mentally, I think Maddie can handle that role. She is used to a lot of success."

Krumrey was the St. Louis Metro Player and Suburban West Conference Pitcher of the Year at Eureka High School, where she helped lead the Wildcats to the state tournament three of her four prep seasons. As a senior, she went 21-3 with a 0.90 ERA.

Sophomores Aubrey Denno (North Newton, Kan.) and Keaira Schilling (Kirksville, Mo.) are other viable arms.

Denno (5) and Schilling (4) combined for nine of Southeast's 11 wins as freshmen last season. Additionally, Schilling led the team with 76 strikeouts in 103 innings, while Denno followed with 48 Ks in 81.2 frames.

"Aubrey and Keaira have done a good job of embracing our pitching philosophies and styles," concluded Reburn. "They have made some adjustments mechanically and I think that has made them better going into this year."