After returning to the postseason with a conference tournament appearance a season ago, Southeastern baseball coach Zach Crabtree will be eyeing an even better finish with a veteran nucleus back to lead the way heading into Friday afternoon’s season opener.
The Savage Storm posted a 28-25 record a season ago and welcomes back their leading weapon in senior Damon Burroughs, a first-team All-Conference performer who is coming off-season shoulder surgery. Toss in the return of 2022 All-Conference choice Reid Rice and there should be some returning firepower to lead the charge.
Burroughs is expected to start the season in the designated hitter slot with Rice back at first base. Dylan Herd is a fourth-year starter at shortstop, Cameron Cromer returns at second base with the outfield brimming with experience as well with Matt Miles, Cody Bonstrom and Jake Miller to start off. John David Muse could easily fill in on the infield after seeing time as a freshman.
“We have quite a bit of offense back from last season and you just can’t duplicate experience in this league,” Crabtree stated. “Burroughs and Rice are two proven guys as better hitters in this league and we are going to rely on them heavily as run producers. Those other guys should continue to add to their numbers after seeing the entire league over the last year or two.”
Burroughs led the Storm with a .402 batting average in 2023, including seven doubles, 10 triples, six home runs and a team-best 55 runs batted in. He also stole 21 bases.
Rice’s numbers dropped a bit last season but is expecting to return to form after finishing with a .296 average, 14 doubles, eight homers and 37 driven in.
Herd hit .264 with eight extra base hits and 12 RBI but is also one of the best defenders in the league. Cromer will look to add to his .255 average and seven stolen bases. Miles hit .324 with three homers and 19 batted in, Bonstrom batted .299 while Miller added a .313 batting clip that included six home runs and 24 RBI. Muse chipped in a .282 in limited time but hit four home runs and drove in 12.
One big utility bat addition will be junior Wes Mitchell, who was a standout at Tyler Junior College, who had a big fall campaign. Two catching additions should also be capable of providing some pop as well in Northeastern transfer Brady Evans, whose father was a Southeastern standout, along with Yanluis Ortiz.
Evans was a junior college stalwart at Murray State and Ortiz was a key fixture in the lineup for two seasons at Grayson County before transferring to Southeast Missouri a season ago.
“We expect a lot out of Mitchell, who showed us a lot with a big bat all fall,” Crabtree said. “Brady Evans is a second generation Southeastern player and Ortiz has a strong bat as well.”
On the mound, senior Dylan Turner returns in the main weekend rotation after posting a 2-4 record and 5.43 earned run average in 63 innings while also striking out 42 in 2023.
Cameron Hauch is expected to move into a Friday starter role after seeing time a season ago, notching a 3-2 record with 5.55 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings.
Returning southpaw Bristol Carson is also penciled in for another starting role after making seven midweek starts in eight appearances last season. He tallied a 3-1 record and 5.63 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Key relievers Brody Logsdon, Jackson Sioson, Hayden Alexander, Jared Barta and Coby Langford also return.
“We have a lot of depth on the mound,” Crabtree added. “It’s just a matter of who can throw strikes and come in and get the job done for us.”
The early slate will tell a lot about the Savage Storm and where they stand as they begin the season with seven straight non-conference games at home beginning Friday with University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.