LAKELAND, Fla.—Southeastern struggled at the plate in their first two losses of the season, losing to the University of the Cumberlands 2-0 and 2-1 in extra innings.
In the first game, the Fire had just four hits with two by second baseman
Sam Holcomb. One of the best chances came for the Fire in the fifth with a throwing error and a Holcomb single to put runners at the corners with two outs, but one of 10 fly outs in the game ended the inning.
Katie Atkins had a leadoff double in the sixth, but was left stranded there after a strikeout, a groundout, and a pop out in foul territory.
Katie Cheeseman had an RBI single in the third and an RBI double in the fifth to give UC both of its runs.
Freshman pitcher
Autumn Hunter allowed two earned on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
Payton Thomas made her SEU debut in the pitching circle in Game 2 and allowed just one earned run on six hits over 7.1 innings with four strikeouts and three walks. A solo homer by Holcomb in the bottom of the fifth put the Fire on top, but the Patriots answered in the next half inning with a one-out RBI single.
The Patriots needed just one batter to manufacture a run with the international tiebreaker placed at second base. Hunter came in and worked herself through a bases-loaded jam with one out.
Southeastern popped up a bunt which turned into a double play to start the bottom of the eighth and were unable to generate a run.
Hannah Bonner finished the second game 2-for-2 with a walk.
The Fire return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Campbellsville.
