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Box Score 2 LAKELAND, Fla.- After facing some adversity in game one, the Southeastern University softball team responded well with an all-around team effort in game two to split the Monday afternoon doubleheader with the Grand View University Vikings. The Fire dropped the first game 5-2 before responding with a 6-3 victory in the second contest.
GAME ONE:
The Fire offense was held to just one hit through the first six innings of play. Grand View slowly crafted a 5-0 lead, scoring one in the top of the third, two in the top of the fourth, another in top of the fifth, and one more in the top of the seventh.
The Southeastern bats came alive for a rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh. An RBI-single through the left side scored
Ramsey Sullivan to trim the GVU lead to 5-1. In the next at-bat,
Erica Stahl ripped one up the middle that brought
Haleigh Harrell home and trimmed the deficit to 5-2 and brought the tying run to the plate. However, that is as close as the rally came for SEU in game one.
GAME TWO:
The Vikings struck first with a solo home run in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead.
The Fire responded in the bottom of the third when Stahl doubled home
Sam Holcomb to knot things up 1-1. However, Grand View pulled right back ahead with the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth.
SEU used a momentous fifth inning to plate four runs on five hits and an error to take a 5-2 lead over GVU. First, Atkins singled through the left side to bring Holcomb across home plate to tie things up 2-2. The Fire got the go-ahead run thanks to a wild pitch that brought
Madison Williams home and then scored another on an error that put the Fire ahead 4-2.
An RBI-double to left-center by
Hannah Bonner capped off the big inning, bringing Stahl home and growing the SEU advantage to 5-2.
Redshirt sophomore pitcher
Payton Thomas battled to improve to 4-0 on the mound. The reigning Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week struck out three over five innings pitched and allowed two earned runs.
After taking the losiing decision in game one of the doubleheader freshman arm
Autumn Hunter relieved Thomas in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded and no outs after the Vikings had already reduced the Fire lead to 5-2. Hunter turned a pair of force outs at home to keep Grand View off the board in the inning. Hunter closed out the game with two perfect innings pitched and secured her second save of the season.
The Fire tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI-bunt single by Stahl that brought Holcomb across.
Up next, Southeastern hosts Sun Conference rival Webber International University on Wednesday in a doubleheader. Game times versus the Warriors is scheduled for 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
