CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri begins its 2016 season at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Alabama this weekend.

Southeast will play five games at the three-day event scheduled for Feb. 12-14. The Redhawks, one of 14 teams headed to this year's tournament, opens its season against Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m., CT, Friday. The Redhawks then face Louisiana Lafayette (Noon) and Houston Baptist (6 p.m.) Saturday, before concluding the weekend with games against Central Arkansas (9 a.m.) and South Alabama (Noon) Sunday. Louisiana Lafayette, Central Arkansas and South Alabama all made the NCAA Tournament a year ago.

Southern Mississippi, Florida A&M, Samford, Jackson State, Belmont, Ball State, Lipscomb and UAB are the other teams headed to the Sand Dollar Classic.

The Redhawks, who enter their second season under head coach Mark Redburn, play their first 13 games outside of Cape Girardeau this year.

2016 Southeast Missouri Softball Season Preview

Team 40 takes the stage for the Southeast Missouri softball program in 2016.

Southeast begins its second year under head coach Mark Redburn looking to build on a season that saw the Redhawks increase their Ohio Valley Conference win total by a +9 margin and advance to the league's postseason tournament for the first time since 2011.

The Redhawks, picked seventh in this year's OVC Preseason Poll, have an even split of 10 returnees and 10 newcomers on their roster. Southeast brings back its top pitcher and four players who started a minimum of 26 games last season.

Three new junior college transfers and six freshmen are also in the mix, giving Southeast a nice blend of experience and depth that should help the Redhawks improve on their 19-27 overall record and 12-12 OVC mark a year ago.

"We have seven players in new spots. Some of them are returnees, but they are at different positions," said Redburn. "We've added some older players and they are learning the system. All of our returnees from last year have done a phenomenal job and we want to continue moving forward."

A young Southeast team, consisting of 10 underclassmen, began steering the Redhawk softball program in the right direction at the onset of the Redburn era in 2015.    

Now, there's a lot more excitement, as this year's club has the pieces in place to make a strong run this upcoming season.

"They are excited and understand what they were able to accomplish last year," said Redburn. "Our players are hungry and want to make things better. We are looking forward to this season."

Catcher
Riley Hayes (Jefferson City, Mo.) and Chelsea Smith (Webb City, Mo.) return after splitting time at catcher last year.

Hayes and Smith will again share starting duties after making 24 and 22 starts, respectively, in 2015.

As a freshman, Hayes ranked third on the team with six home runs and had 20 RBIs. She gunned down a team-high nine baserunners, as well.

Smith, one of four seniors, threw out five baserunners and ranked fifth on the team with five doubles last season.

Newcomer Abby Tillotson (O'Fallon, Mo.) comes to Southeast from Three Rivers Community College, where she broke the school's single-season home run record with 12 in 2015.

Tillotson notched 53 RBIs and boasted a .669 slugging percentage en route to All-America honors during her only season at Three Rivers.

Infield
Corner infielders Savannah Carpenter (Newbury Park, Calif.) and Haylee Krack (Moline, Ill.) are back after battling injuries last season.

Carpenter, one of four Redhawks who started every game a year ago, was the team's third-leading hitter with a .322 batting average. She scored 23 runs, had six doubles, three home runs, 20 RBIs and tied for second on the team in hits (47). Carpenter shifts to first base after making 45 starts at third last season. She underwent shoulder surgery following the 2015 campaign and is at full strength entering her senior year.

Meanwhile, Krack missed the entire 2015 campaign with an ACL injury. She was granted a medical hardship and will start at third base.

Krack's last season at Southeast was in 2014, where she started 32 games at the hot corner. Krack hit just under .300 (.298) with a team-high 10 home runs, 25 runs scored and 19 walks en route to OVC All-Newcomer honors that year.

Newcomers Danielle Turner (Evansville, Ind.), Sarah Messex (Sullivan, Mo.) and Harli Wheeler (Sullivan, Mo.) are the leading candidates for the middle infield spots.

Turner or Messex will likely start at shortstop, while Wheeler is projected to start at second base.

Turner was a two-year starter at Heartland Community College, leading the team with a .429 batting average, 67 hits, 66 runs scored, 17 doubles and three triples last season. She was named to the All-Region 24 and Region 24 All-Tournament teams for her efforts.

Messex is a freshman who claimed All-State accolades as a four-year starter at Sullivan High School. She finished her prep career hitting .438 with 34 doubles, eight triples, 15 home runs, 33 stolen bases and 103 RBIs.

Wheeler, who attended the same high school as Messex, spent the last two years as a starter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. She helped lead the Lady Norse to a 50-16 record and national runner-up finish as an All-District honoree.

Leah Duffe (Moscow, Iowa), Darby Pruett (Corning, Ark.) and Mackenzie Long (Lee's Summit, Mo.) will challenge.

Duffe, a senior, made 12 starts at shortstop last season.

Pruett was in the lineup six games as a designated player in 2015 and will push Krack at third base.

Long joins the Redhawks from Lee's Summit West High School, where she was a four-year starter.

She is another option at second base.

Outfield
Southeast lost First-Team All-OVC center fielder Kayla Fortner, who led the team in batting average (.389), runs scored (42), doubles (10), home runs (16), RBI (48), total bases (109), slugging percentage (.832), on-base percentage (.523), walks (37) and games started (46) a year ago.

Fortner broke Southeast's all-time single-season records in home runs and walks, and ranked among OVC leaders in several categories during her only season with the Redhawks.

Fortunately, Fortner remains at Southeast as a volunteer assistant working closely with the outfielders this year.

Junior Nicole Deering (Nashville, Ill.), freshman Brittany Stevens (St. Louis, Mo.) and sophomore Claire Wernig (Imperial, Mo.) are expected to be the opening day starters.

Deering, the most experienced of the group, hit .321 in 40 games and 15 starts. She made 12 of her starts in the outfield and will be in left.

Stevens sets to make her Southeast debut in center field following a successful prep career at Lindbergh High School. A four-year starter, four-time All-Conference selection and two-time All-State pick, Stevens hit .455 with 22 runs scored and 28 RBIs as a senior.

Wernig started 24 games as designated player last season and will be in right field. She had 28 hits, 15 runs, two doubles and seven RBIs as a freshman in 2015. 

Turner could potentially move to center as the season progresses and Messex also has the ability to play outfield if the need arises.

Freshman Amanda Webb (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) rounds out the outfield personnel.

Pitching
The Redhawks only returning All-OVC performer is in the circle, an area where Southeast has plenty of depth this season.

Madeline Krumrey (Wildwood, Mo.) again figures to be the ace of the staff following a big rookie campaign that resulted in her making the league's All-Newcomer Team.

Krumrey put together a 13-12 record and led the team in ERA, wins appearances (32), games started (26), complete games (13, shutouts (2), saves (2), innings pitched (176.2) and strikeouts (94).

She was particularly strong down the stretch, going 5-3 with a pair of complete game victories, two saves and 38 strikeouts in her final 10 appearances of the season.

Junior Aubrey Denno (North Newton, Kan.) also returns.

Denno started six of her 19 appearances last season, striking out 10 in 42.1 innings. She pitched eight games without allowing a walk, as well.

Junior Mackenzie Hoelting (Winfield, Mo.) and freshmen Haley Thogmartin (St. Louis, Mo.) and Kelsey Ihns (Woodbury, Minn.) are the newest pitchers.

Hoelting, a left-hander, transfers to Southeast from Jefferson College, where she pitched the last two seasons.

A First-Team All-American and All-Region honoree, Hoelting compiled a 24-5 record and boasted a 2.18 ERA in 30 appearances and 29 starts in 2015. She pitched 25 complete games and posted 126 strikeouts in 180 innings.

Thogmartin was a three-year starter at Kirkwood High School. She finished her prep career with 416 strikeouts. As a senior, Thogmartin accumulated 199 strikeouts and averaged over 11 per game en route to First-Team All-Conference and All-District accolades.

Ihns, another left-hander, started three years at East Ridge High School. She struck out 31 in eight appearances as a senior.