Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 |
Box Score 3 CLERMONT, Fla.—Playing 21 innings of softball can be tiring.
So, the Southeastern softball team decided to cut that number down by a few.
The Fire picked up a 12-4 win over Indiana Tech in five innings, then defeated the University of Northwestern Ohio 10-5 in five innings, then 15-10.
As a team, the Fire (23-8) totaled 39 hits, nine coming off the bat of freshman outfielder Kaleigh Floyd. Floyd went 3-for-3 against Indiana Tech, 2-for-2 in the first game against UNOH, then went 4-for-5, and totaled five RBIs on the day.
An eight-run inning by the Fire in the top of the second sparked them to a win over Indiana Tech. SEU had seven hits in the inning, and also benefited from three Warrior miscues. They added four more in the fourth on an RBI single by Cat Maldonado, and an RBI double by Anna Martin. Grace Grevengoed also added an RBI double, then scored on an RBI single by Floyd.
Maldonado earned her fourth win of the season, working all five innings in the pitching circle, allowing four runs on nine hits. The sophomore walked one and struck out four.
It was the second inning again when the Fire took the field against UNOH, scoring six runs on six hits. Half of those came on Susan Hinks' second homer of the season. An RBI single by Brittany LaCasse added a run, then, Maldonado's 11th home run of the season scored two more.
Hinks hit an RBI single up the middle with two out in the bottom of the third to give the Fire a 7-0 lead. They added three more on another RBI single by LaCasse, then an Anna Martin sacrifice fly brought in a run, as did an RBI single by Sam Gale through the left side of the infield.
Hinks made quick work of the Racers, using only 62 pitches to complete five innings. She allowed just two hits, and struck out six.
It looked as if the Fire were about to go 3-for-3 in 5-inning games, leading 11-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth, but the Racers came back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, then three more in the bottom of the fifth.
Leading by four heading to the top the fifth, Floyd doubled down the left field line to score Martin, then in the sixth, the Fire added two more on a two-run single to center field by Gale.
UNOH also was helped by four Fire errors.
Maldonado earned her second win of the day, working three innings in relief of Emily Bryant and Gale.
The Fire return to action on Monday when they host Oakland City University at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
