Alabama State Stinger Classic

Date: Friday-Sunday, February 21-23, 2020
Location: Montgomery, Ala.
Facility: Barbara Williams Softball Complex
Participating Teams: Alabama State (4-6); South Carolina State (0-3); Grambling State (1-8); Howard (1-9); North Alabama (5-4); Murray State (7-2); Southeast Missouri (3-1)
Series Records: 2-2 vs. Alabama State; 7-0 vs. Grambling State; First Meeting vs. Howard; First Meeting vs. South Carolina State

Friday, Feb. 21
Southeast Missouri vs. South Carolina State, 4 p.m., CT | Live Stats
Southeast Missouri at Alabama State, 6 p.m., CT | Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 22
Southeast Missouri vs. Howard, 11 a.m., CT | Live Stats
Southeast Missouri vs. Grambling State,. 5 p.m., CT | Live Stats

Sunday, Feb. 23
Southeast Missouri vs. South Carolina State, 9 a.m., CT | Live Stats

Southeast Missouri Notes | Stinger Classic Tournament Central
 

Redhawks Continue Tournament Play
Southeast Missouri (3-1) continues tournament play at the Alabama State Stinger Classic this weekend. The Redhawks play five games beginning Friday with matchups against South Carolina State (4 p.m., CT) and host Alabama State (6 p.m., CT).

Follow the Redhawks
Live stats for all games of the Stinger Classic will be available online at BamaStateSports.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOsoftball.

Tournament Field
This year's seven-team Stinger Classic includes Alabama State (4-6), South Carolina State (0-3), Grambling State (1-8), Howard (1-9), North Alabama (5-4), Southeast Missouri (3-1) and Murray State (7-2). Ohio Valley Conference members SEMO and Murray State have the best records in the field. 

Stinger Classic Opponents
All of Southeast Missouri's opponents at the Stinger Classic are Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Combined, South Carolina State (0-3), Grambling State (1-8), Howard (1-9) and Alabama State (4-6) are 6-26 this season. Grambling State and Alabama State are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and Howard and South Carolina State are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Series History
The Redhawks are 2-2 against Alabama State and a perfect 7-0 against Grambling State during their softball history. Southeast Missouri faces Howard and South Carolina State for the first time in 2020.

Team 44
The 2020 campaign is the 44th season of the Southeast Missouri softball program. This year also marks the 29th season at the NCAA Division I level. SEMO's softball program has an all-time record of  1,111-919-3. The Redhawks are 751-696-2 all-time since moving to the NCAA Division I ranks in 1992. 

Home-Opener Up Next
After playing its first nine games outside of Cape Girardeau this season, Southeast Missouri is scheduled to host Kansas City in a three-game series during its home-opener on Feb. 29-Mar. 1. The Redhawks and Kangaroos play a single game at 5 p.m., CT, on Saturday, Feb. 29 and a 10:30 a.m., CT, doubleheader on Sunday, Mar. 1. All home games are played at the Southeast Softball Complex.

Troy Tournament Recap
The Redhawks started their 2020 season strong with three victories in four games at the Troy University Tournament. Southeast Missouri dropped a close 6-4 decision to Kennesaw State (Feb. 14) before winning each of its last three games of the tournament. SEMO beat Purdue Fort Wayne (16-15, Feb. 14), Southern Mississippi (7-0, Feb. 15) and tournament host Troy (13-3, Feb. 15).

Ellis Named OVC Co-Player of the Week
Senior first baseman Ashley Ellis was named Ohio Valley Conference Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 17. A native of Arnold, Missouri, Ellis hit four home runs in four games during a big opening weekend at the Troy University Tournament. All but two of her hits came on the long ball. She hit .375 (6-for-16) with six runs scored, a double and 10 RBI to lead the Redhawks to a 3-1 record. Ellis homered twice against Purdue Fort Wayne (Feb. 14) and hit a home run in three-straight contests. She also boasted a 1.188 slugging percentage. Jacksonville State third baseman Karsen Mosley (Co-Player of the Week) and Eastern Kentucky's Mollie Paulick (Pitcher of the Week) rounded out this week's honorees.

OVC Preseason Favorite
Reigning Ohio Valley Conference regular-season and tournament champion Southeast Missouri was picked to win the league in 2020.  SEMO earned 16 first-place votes and a total of 236 points in this year's Preseason Poll selected by OVC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors. Jacksonville State, which picked up six first-place votes, is second with 221 points while Eastern Kentucky earned the two remaining first-place nods and 195 points. Murray State followed in fourth place with 171 points and Austin Peay rounded out the top-five with 168 points. Belmont (138), SIUE (123), Tennessee Tech (95), UT Martin (92), Eastern Illinois (76), Tennessee State (43) and Morehead State (26) completed the poll. 

Senior Power
The Redhawks have eight seniors on this year's roster, including center fielder Rachel Anderson, first baseman Ashley Ellis, catcher Rachael Donald, outfielders Madison Harris and Claudia Gallo, third baseman Addison Barnouski, pitcher Alexis Estes and infielder Austine Pauley.  This group has combined for 923 games and 719 starts in their careers. 

Starting Streaks
Two Redhawks have starting streaks over 100 games. Rachel Anderson, who never missed a start in her career, has started 171 consecutive games. Ashley Ellis has started 147 straight contests.

Holman Tosses Shutout
Freshman Paytience Holman picked up her first career win when she tossed a complete game four-hit shutout against Southern Mississippi (Feb. 15). Holman, who is 1-1 this season, recorded 10 strikeouts and walked just two in seven innings.

Redhawk Debuts
Four players, including Austine Pauley, Kimmy Wallen, Keira Hance and Paytience Holman made their NCAA Division I softball debuts with Southeast Missouri at last weekend's Troy University Tournament. Pauley finished the tournament hitting a team-best .455 with three runs scored, a double, one home run, five walks and a stolen base.

Redburn in Sixth Year
Mark Redburn is in his sixth year as head coach at Southeast Missouri. Redburn, the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, led the Redhawks to their first OVC regular-season and tournament titles, and NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 years. Last year's team won a program record 46 games. Redburn has guided SEMO to a combined 105 wins since the 2017 season.

10 to Go
Mark Redburn is 10 wins away from reaching 150 at Southeast Missouri. Redburn is 140-126 (.526) in five years at the helm. For his career, Redburn is 354-375 in 16 years as a head coach.

Anderson Ranked 54th Among Softball America's Top 100 Players
Southeast Missouri star center fielder Rachel Anderson was ranked 54th among Softball America's Top 100 players for the 2020 season. A native of Edwardsville, Illinois, Anderson is the only Ohio Valley Conference player on the nation's elite list. She is a three-time First-Team All-OVC pick and became SEMO's first All-American during the program's NCAA Division I era. Anderson was named the league's Player of the Year in 2019 and garnered OVC Freshman of the Year honors during her rookie season in 2017 Anderson has started all 171 games of her college career in center field. 

Ellis Hits 30
Ashley Ellis ran her career total to 30 home runs following her big opening weekend at the Troy University Tournament. Ellis became just the third player in Southeast Missouri softball history to get 30 home runs in a career. Michelle Summers (48, 2005-08) and Megan McDonald (31, 2005-08) are the others. One more home run will put Ellis in a tie for second on the school's all-time career home run list.

Nice Start for Pauley
Lindenwood transfer Austine Pauley made a strong NCAA Division I debut at Southeast Missouri. Pauley hit a team-high .455 (5-for-11) with three runs, a double, home run and three RBI in her first four starts of 2020. She also walked five times, boasted a .818 slugging percentage and a .611 on-base percentage. 

Anderson Closing In on Career RBI Record
Rachel Anderson is 10 RBI away from breaking Southeast Missouri's all-time career RBI record. Anderson currently has 123 RBI in her career and is behind both Renee Kertz (132, 2009-12) and Michelle Summers (2005-08).  

OVC Leader
So far this young season, Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in batting average (.345), slugging percentage (.613) and on-base percentage (.481) through four games. SEMO hit seven home runs and averaged 10.3 hits per game in those contests. Redhawk hitters were also hit by pitch a league-high nine times on opening weekend.

NCAA Rankings
Southeast Missouri leads the nation in scoring (10 rpg) and hit batsmen (9). Ashley Ellis is first nationally in home runs per game (1.0) and Kaylee Anderson is first in hit by pitch per game (1.0). Rachel Anderson is tied for first in the country among hitters toughest to strikeout. Anderson did not strike out in her first 15 at-bats of the season.