LAKELAND, Fla.—The Fire softball team rallied back from deficits throughout the day, but were unable to come up with a win in either contest in their season opening doubleheader against Florida National.
Southeastern dropped the first game by the score of 11-9 in 12 innings, and the second 3-1 in a game shortened due to darkness.
The Fire trailed 3-0 after three innings as Florida National (7-3) starting pitcher Natasha Trujillo was perfect through three innings. Down 4-0, the Fire started finding success the second time in the batter's box.
SEU made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fourth with
Sam Holcomb doubling to left field, then scoring on an RBI double by
Kaley Sarasty. She came around to score on a triple by
Bailee Moll, who was brought in by
Britt Robinson's single to left.
In the bottom of the sixth, Moll tied the game with a solo home run to center field. The game remained knotted at four until the 11
th when the international tiebreaker went into effect.
Florida National took a 7-4 lead with a three-run homer to left, but with one out and runners on first and third, senior first baseman
Hannah Bonner hit her first home run with the Fire, clearing the center field wall and sending the game to the 12
th.
The Conquistadors picked up an RBI double and an RBI single and a two-run homer in the top of the 12th to take a four-run lead once again. Southeastern got a pair of RBI groundouts, but were unable to get any closer.
Freshman
Megan Froehlich went 11 innings in relief and had three strikeouts along with three walks.
Bonner got the scoring started in the second game with her two-out RBI single to left in the third which scored Moll to put SEU up 1-0. A bases-loaded two-out walk tied the game for FNU in the next half inning.
The Conquistadors picked up two runs in the fifth on a two-out RBI single to left and a bases-loaded walk to take a 3-1 lead.
The game continued into darkness, and the Fire ended up tying the game in the sixth, but since the inning could not be completed, the game reverts back to the last completed inning.
Kristyn Dexter went four innings in her collegiate debut, allowing one earned run on four hits, with four walks and a strikeout.
Bonner finished the day 4-for-7 with four RBIs.
Whittney Purdy was 3-for-6, with Sarasty, and
Sam Holcomb also recording three hits on the day.
Southeastern returns to action on Thursday in Winter Haven against Olivet Nazarene.
