LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 3 Southeastern University softball team split a doubleheader with the No. 15 Davenport University Panthers on Monday afternoon. The Panthers took game one 4-2. The Fire responded back with a decisive 9-0 six inning win in the second contest.
Davenport took a 2-0 lead in top of the third inning. SEU responded in the bottom half of the frame, bringing senior outfielder
Taylor Stoltz across the plate on a double by fellow senior outfielder
Cheyenne Blaha.
The Fire evened things up 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth on a solo blast from freshman
Laney Haynes. The home run was the first of her collegiate career.
The Panthers went ahead in the top of the seventh inning on a two run home run by Alyssa Eastman. The Fire brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the inning but were unable to rally.
It was a tough game at the plate for Southeastern, who batted .182 (4-22).
The bats heated up for the Fire in game two, as SEU hit a collective .391 (9-23).
Senior shortstop Sydnie Maloy kicked off the offensive festivities for the Fire in the bottom of the second, doubling home
Heather Faulk and
Alexandra Millett. SEU got two more runs across in the bottom of both the third and fourth frames.
Blaha was dialed in at the plate in game two, going a perfect 3-3 with three runs batted in.
Senior first baseman
Cat Maldonado put the exclamation point on the victory with a two run shot over the left field fence on the first pitch that gave the Fire the 9-0 lead and ended the game. The home run was her first of the season.
On the mound, freshman righty
Stef Guercio was solid, hurling six scoreless innings and punching out three to earn her fifth win of the season. In six starts this season, the Park Ridge, Ill. native is 6-1 with a 1.65 ERA and 36 strikeouts.
The next seven games for the Fire will be played in the state of Alabama. The first stop for SEU is Mobile, where the Fire will take on No. 10 William Carey University and the University of Mobile on Wednesday. Game times are set for 4 and 6 p.m.
