Southeast Missouri (10-21, 5-10 OVC) vs. Morehead State (16-18, 7-7 OVC)

Series Information
Date: Saturday, Apr. 18, 2015
Time: 10 a.m., CT (DH)
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Stadium: Southeast Softball Complex (600)
Head Coaches: Mark Redburn (176-248 overall; 10-21 at Southeast; 5-10 OVC). David Williams (250-245-1 overall; 71-113 at Morehead State; 35-56 OVC).
Weather Forecast: Cloudy, 62 degrees

Southeast Missouri (10-21, 5-10 OVC) vs. Eastern Kentucky (18-22, 8-6 OVC)

Series Information
Date: Sunday, Apr. 19, 2015
Time: Noon, CT (DH)
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Stadium: Southeast Softball Complex (600)
Head Coaches: Mark Redburn (176-248 overall; 10-21 at Southeast; 5-10 OVC). Jane Worthington (620-591 overall; 620-591 at Eastern Kentucky; 304-220 OVC).
Weather Forecast: Thunderstorms, 57 degrees

Media Coverage
Live Stats for Morehead State Doubleheader: Game 1 | Game 2
Live Stats for Eastern Kentucky Doubleheader: Game 1 | Game 2
Twitter Updates: @SEMOsoftball
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri

Redhawks Return Home
Southeast Missouri (10-21, 5-10) returns to Cape Girardeau to host Morehead State (16-18, 7-7) and Eastern Kentucky (18-22, 8-6) in doubleheaders this weekend. The Redhawks face the Eagles Saturday at 10 a.m., CT, and the Colonels Sunday at Noon.

Lengthy Homestand
Southeast opens a nine-game homestand this weekend. After facing Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky, the Redhawks welcome regional-rival Saint Louis for a midweek doubleheader on Apr. 22. Southeast then hosts Eastern Illinois in its final home games of the season on Apr. 25-26. The Redhawks are 2-6 at home this season and 125-118 (.514) all-time at the Southeast Softball Complex.

Series History
The Redhawks are 55-17 all-time against Morehead State and 36-30 against Eastern Kentucky. Southeast lost a doubleheader to the Eagles and split a twin bill with the Colonels last season. The Redhawks 55 victories versus MSU are their second-most in a series against an Ohio Valley Conference opponent.

Winning Streak Ends
Southeast saw its season-long four-game winning streak come to an end at Murray State (Apr. 11-12). The Redhawks dropped three one-run games in walkoff fashion to the Racers. The winning streak was Southeast's longest since winning five in a row from Apr. 11-15, 2012.

Close Games
Each of Southeast's last six games have been decided by no more than two runs. The Redhawks enter the weekend looking to snap a three-game losing streak. Southeast played five one-run games in a row and is 2-7 in such contests this season.

Late Rally
The Redhawks either tied or took the lead in the top of the seventh inning during all three of their games at Murray State (Arp. 11-12). Southeast trailed game one, 3-1, after six innings before tying things up on Taylor McDannold's two-RBI single. The Redhawks fell behind, 5-3, after six innings and used a two-RBI double by Meaghan Touchette to tie the game in the nightcap. Kayla Fortner's solo home run in the seventh marked Southeast's only hit in the series finale, initially giving the Redhawks the lead.

OVC Update
Southeast is currently ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, while Eastern Kentucky is fifth and Morehead State is eighth.  The Redhawks have six league games left after this weekend. Southeast hosts Eastern Illinois (Apr. 25-26) and visits Austin Peay (May 2-3).

Fortner is Rolling
Outfielder Kayla Fortner is on a tear in her first year at Southeast this season. Fortner begins the weekend ranked second in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .402 batting average. She is one of only two OVC players hitting over .400 this year. Fortner also leads the league in RBI (37) and is second in home runs (12). She ranks 22nd in the nation in walks, 23rd in home runs per game and 24th in slugging percentage.

The Chase is On
Kayla Fortner launched her league-high 12th home run of the season in three of Southeast's series at Murray State (Apr. 11-12). Fortner moved into a tie for third with Stacia Dopudja (2007) on the Redhawks all-time single-season list. She needs just three more homers to break Southeast's all-time single-season record, presently held by Michelle Summers (14 home runs in 2007).

Going the Distance
Freshman pitcher Madeline Krumrey has pitched a complete game in nine-consecutive starts. Krumrey won at Missouri State (Mar. 31), Tennessee State (Apr. 3) and Belmont (Apr. 4), and beat Southern Illinois (Apr. 8) at home. She enters the weekend with an overall record of 7-8 and 4-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Krumrey leads the team with 10 complete games this season, eight of which came against league foes.

Yard Work
The Redhawks have homered in 17 games and have a total of 23 through 31 contests this year. Seven different Redhawks have hit a home run this season, including Kayla Fortner (12), Lindsey Patterson (5), Leah Duffe (2), Alexis Anderson (1), Darby Pruett (1), Savannah Carpenter (1) and Taylor McDannold (1).

Weather Intrudes
Southeast has been limited to 31 games due to inclement weather this season. The Redhawks 31 games are the fewest any Ohio Valley Conference school has played this year. Southeast had a total of 12 cancellations in 2015. OVC leader SIU Edwardsville (29) has more wins than the Redhawks have games played.

Extra, Extra
Of Kayla Fortner's team-high 35 hits, 18 have gone for extra bases. Fortner homered in each of her first four games of the season and leads Southeast with 12 this year. She is also tied for second on the team with six doubles. Fortner reached base in 29 of her 31 games this season and sports a team-best .530 on-base percentage and .885 slugging percentage.

Patterson Produces
Starting first baseman Lindsey Patterson, who has hit safely in seven of her last 10 games, is the Redhawks third-leading hitter with a .350 clip. She also ranks second in runs scored (15), home runs (5) and RBI (22), and fourth in doubles (3) as one of four Southeast players who have started every game in 2015.

Southeast Fourth in Hitting
Southeast is fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .285 batting average through 31 games this season. The Redhawks have pounded out double-digit hits eight times, with a season-high 18 at Grambling State (Feb. 15). The Redhawks rank behind Murray State (.315), Jacksonville State (.298) and UT Martin (.290).

Over .300
The Redhawks have four starters hitting over .300. Kayla Fortner leads that group with a .402 clip, while Lindsey Patterson (.350), Alexis Anderson (.349) and Taylor McDannold (.311) follow. Fortner, Patterson and McDannold have started all 31 games, while Anderson has made 19 starts.

About Morehead State
Morehead State comes to Cape Girardeau on a three-game winning streak after sweeping Belmont on Apr. 11-12. Kayla McGuffey is among the Ohio Valley Conference's top five hitters, ranking fifth with a .375 batting average. As a team, the Eagles are hitting .270 and rank seventh in the league with a 4.04 ERA.

About Eastern Kentucky
Like Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky also enters the weekend on a three-game winning streak. The Colonels swept Tennessee State (Apr. 11-12), getting double-digit hits in two of those wins. EKU is fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference in pitching with a 3.86 ERA through 40 games. Leanna Pittsenbarger leads the Colonels in wins (8), appearances (23), starts (19), complete games (5), shutouts (4), strikeouts (107) and innings (91.1).