GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—It took just three hits for the Fire to pick up a win in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.
Southeastern benefit from four Indiana Wesleyan errors to come away with a 5-0 win to advance to the Davenport Bracket semifinals.
With two outs in the top of the second,
Bri Girardin reached base on an errant throw to first, allowing
Sammy Jacobson to score, and a second throwing error on the play allowed
Annie Weaver to score. Both players were on base as the result of walks.
That's all starting pitcher
Lindsie Scholwinski needed, pitching her 11
th shutout of the season. The junior allowed four hits and struck out seven over seven innings of work.
A two-out RBI single by
Brandee Pietrzak in the top of the third gave Southeastern (40-14) a 3-0 lead.
Two more came across in the Fire fifth when
Cheyenne Blaha doubled to center field, bringing Girardin in to score. The throw to the plate hit Girardin's helmet and rolled to the backstop, allowing Blaha to advance home.
Defensively, the Fire were stellar, highlighted by diving plays throughout the infield. In the bottom of the first, with a runner on first, Britt LaCasse dove to her right to snag a line drive at third base and fired it across the diamond for a double play.
The Fire will now take on Olivet Nazarene, which surprised No. 12 and host Davenport 7-5 Tuesday at noon.
