GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Three outs away from a long trip through the consolation bracket to the final game of the Davenport Bracket in the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round, Southeastern shrugged off an offensive slump.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Fire raged for six runs on four hits to come away with an 11-6 victory and a trip to the championship game against the winner of the consolation bracket Wednesday at noon.
Olivet Nazarene (36-16-1) scored six runs of its own in the bottom of the first, benefiting from a pair of home runs to take a 6-1 lead after an inning.
The Fire chipped away getting a run in the second, and another in the fourth to make it a 6-3 game heading to the sixth.
Anna Martin led off the top of the sixth with a double, and scored on the next at bat when
Cat Maldonado doubled. An RBI single by
Bri Girardin made it a one-run game heading to the seventh.
The Fire tied the game on an infield single by
Sydnie Malloy, scoring
Brandee Pietrzak, who led off the inning with a single to left. A walk to
Annie Weaver loaded the bases for Girardin, who hit a ball back to the pitcher. On a close play at the plate, Martin was called safe, giving SEU the lead back.
Cheyenne Blaha cleared the bases with a double off the left centerfield wall. An RBI groundout by
Brittany LaCasse gave the Fire their final run.
SEU pitcher
Lindsie Scholwinski settled down nicely, allowing six hits over the final six innings of the game, keeping the Tigers scoreless and giving the Fire a chance to win.
Martin finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Blaha and
Taylor Stoltz each went 3-for-5 with a run scored.
