Dan Carter’s Alton Redbirds posted a 26-11 record in 2014. That followed up a 29-6 season in 2013.
With no seniors on the roster in 2015, Carter has a lot of questions in 2015 that may make it hard to post those numbers again, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be talent on the field.
“It’s the cycle of coaching and unfortunately we don’t have anybody back,” Carter said. “It’s obviously going to be a rebuilding year for us and I say that because I really don’t know what we’ve got. I won’t know until we can get going and play some games. What we start with at the beginning of the year is probably not what we’re going to finish with at the end of the year.”
One constant for the Redbirds will be junior pitcher Brittany Roady, who was 10-8 last season with a 2.56 ERA. She started 19 games for AHS with 10 complete games.
“It’s nice that she’s back,” Carter said of Roady. “We have two more years with her and she had 10 wins last year during her sophomore season. She did a great job for us, so we’re counting on her and keeping her healthy and going. We’re probably looking at her going three-fourths of the season and who are No. 2 is, I don’t know yet. We have Savannah Fisher and Sydney Hartman, both sophomores that can throw a little bit. We will have to weed that out a little bit and see who is our No. 2 and who is our No. 3.”
Offense may start with Roady, too. She hit .316 with six RBIs in 19 at-bats last year. Sophomore Tomi Dublo (.304, 1 HR, 6 RBIs) and junior Katelyn Presley (.238, 2 HR, 6 RBIs) look to contribute offensively.
“(Presley) was hurt at the beginning of the year last year and I think that bothered her hitting,” Carter said. “She hit a lot better as a freshman than she did as a sophomore. Katelyn will probably either be catching or playing short, or maybe second, I’m not quite sure yet. She’s going to be at one of those key positions for us.
“Tomi Dublo got limited playing time (as a freshman), but she’s got some experience. She played in the outfield, but she could possibly play in the infield for us. We’re looking at her at second base and she’ll help some of these young girls along. There’s a good possibility we’re going to start three or four freshmen.”
Carter thinks there will be more contributors with the stick, but they are unproven at the varsity level.
“We’ve been hitting every day and we look good in the cage,” Carter said. “The girls we’ve got look very good in the cage, but cage hitting and game hitting is a big difference. Brittany, the way she’s swinging the bat in the cage, she could be our No. 4 hitter. Presley could be our leadoff hitter with Dublo somewhere in the middle and then we’ve got some younger girls like Miranda Hudson who is a freshman that can help us out. Sydney Hartman and Savannah Fisher will be playing somewhere besides pitcher and they’ve got good bats. Bronte Fencel, a sophomore, right now looks like she’s our center fielder and a good bat. Freshman Rachel McCoy will play some first base for us and she’s swinging a good bat. We have a transfer I don’t know much about, but she looks good in the cages, Shannon Jackson.”
The Southwestern Conference should be tough again, beginning with talented Edwardsville, which returns most of its firepower from last year, including senior pitcher Kallen Loveless.
“Belleville East graduated their pitcher and a couple of their key players from last year, so I expect they will be down, but I don’t count on them coming down too far,” Carter said. “Everybody else has got their ace back and I say that including us. It starts at the top of the heap with Edwardsville. Loveless is probably the best pitcher in the league and they’ve got a quality team around them. They’re at the top and everybody is chasing them.”
Alton opens the season at 11 a.m. Saturday, playing host to Greenfield.
Brittany Roady
Roady, a junior for the Redbirds, returns as the team’s pitcher. As a sophomore, Roady paced the staff with a 10-8 mark in a team-best 19 starts. She had 10 complete games and a 2.56 ERA.
Katelyn Presley
A junior, Presley looks to stabilize the Alton infield at the shortstop position. Last season, Presley batted just .238 in 84
at-bats but blasted two homers, four doubles and drove in six runs.
Head coach: Dan Carter
Conference: Southwestern
Record last season: 26-11
Career record: 319-213-1 (16 years)
ROSTER/REDBIRDS
JUNIORS
NAME POS
Katelyn Presley SS, C, 2B
Alicia Goewey OF
Brittany Roady P, 1B
SOPHOMORES
Tomi Dublo 2B, OF
Sydney Hartman P, OF
Savannah Fisher P, SS, OF
Mikinna Hall OF, C
Bronte Fencel OF
FRESHMEN
Shannon Jackson 3B, C
Racehel McCoy 1B
Miranda Hudson C, IF
Taylor Herrin OF, P
SCHEDULE/REDBIRDS
March 21 — vs. Greenfield, 11 a.m.
March 23 — at Quincy, 4 p.m.
March 24 — at EA-WR, 4 p.m.
March 25 — vs. Bunker Hill, 4:30 p.m.
March 28 — at Jersey, 10 a.m.
March 30 — at Roxana, 4:15 p.m.
March 31 — vs. Belleville East*, 4:30 p.m.
April 2 — at Edwardsville*, 4:30 p.m.
April 7 — at Granite City*, 4:30 p.m.
April 8 — vs. Highland, 4:30 p.m.
April 9 — vs. Collinsville*, 4:30 p.m.
April 13 — at Brussels, 4:30 p.m.
April 14 — at Belleville West*, 4:30 p.m.
April 16 — vs. East St. Louis*, 4:30 p.m.
April 20 — vs. Calhoun, 4:30 p.m.
April 21 — at O’Fallon*, 4:30 p.m.
April 22 — at Cahokia, 4:30 p.m.
April 24 — at CM, 4:15 p.m.
April 25 — at Southwestern, 10 a.m.
April 28 — vs. Edwardsville*, 4:30 p.m.
April 29 — at Metro East Lutheran, 4 p.m.
April 30 — at Belleville East*, 4:30 p.m.
May 2 — Alton Invitational, 10 a.m.
May 5 — at Collinsville*, 4:30 p.m.
May 7 — vs. Granite City*, 4:30 p.m.
May 8 — vs. EA-WR, 4:30 p.m.
May 9 — Redbird Round Robin, 10 a.m.
May 12 — at East St. Louis*, 4:30 p.m.
May 14 — vs. Belleville West*, 4:30 p.m.
May 19 — vs. O’Fallon*, 4:30 p.m.
May 22 — at Triad, 4:15 p.m.
