LAKELAND, Fla.- After a 5-1 week highlighted by a three-game sweep of St. Thomas University and two wins against Thomas University, the No. 19 ranked Southeastern University softball team will look to their toughest Sun Conference challenge as they take on the No. 10 ranked College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick, Ga. and will round out the week with a trip to Miami Gardens, Fla. to face off against Florida Memorial.
Tuesday will see a doubleheader between the No. 10 and No. 19 teams in the nation at 2 and 4 p.m with the series finale on Wednesday at 12 p.m.
The Mariners of Coastal Georgia come into the week matching the Fire's 8-1 conference record and a 25-2 overall record largely aided by their .539 slugging percentage with 64 doubles and 15 home runs. The Mariners average seven runs per contest behind a .360 team average with Sarah Thinger leading the way with a .452 average and .521 on base percentage while Melani Jones and Mackenzie Kagee have been the lead run producers with 25 RBI's each.
On the mound, junior Haley Dickerson has been the go-to arm with a team high 74.1 innings pitched and a 1.70 ERA with only 18 earned runs allowed. Sophomore Bryce Peacock has recorded the second most innings at 49.2 with a team high 7.5 strikeouts per seven and a 1.13 ERA.
History between these two programs falls in favor of the Fire with a 6-5 edge as they split the series last season with the Mariners with a 3-2 win and 5-2 loss.
Friday will see game one between the Fire and the Florida Memorial Lions at 6 p.m. with the doubleheader coming on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m.
In their inaugural season, the Lions are 1-15 overall record and are searching for their first Sun Conference victory as they recently dropped the series against Ave Maria and Coastal Georgia. As a team, the Lions have posted a .201 average with Samantha Triana leading the way with an average of .381.
The Lions pitching staff has relied on the arm of Bridgette Tuxbury for a majority of their innings as she has gone 39.2 and grabbed 20 strikeouts in those innings.
The Fire have been solid in every aspect of the game thus far this season as they currently hold a .329 average while ranking No. 3 in the nation in stolen bases with 104 and No. 4 in the nation in shutouts with 11.
Offensively, graduate transfer
Jamie Mead has been the hottest bat in the lineup with a .410 batting average and .535 on base percentage while senior
Katie Atkins leads in run producing with 27 RBI's behind nine doubles and a .346 average.
Freshman
Claire Sekinger has been a huge part of the Fire pitching staff's success with five shutouts, 8-1 record, and 1.09 ERA with only 10 earned runs allowed in 64.1 innings pitched while sophomore
Autumn Hunter has recorded a team high 65.2 innings, 2.24 ERA and 9-3 overall record.
