LAKELAND, Fla.- After a 3-1 week, the Southeastern University softball team will spend the weekend at the Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama where they will partake in four contests beginning against the No. 16 ranked William Carey University on Friday at 11:15 a.m. and a 3:15 p.m. matchup against Our Lady of the Lake University. Saturday will see games against Louisiana State University Alexandria at 9 a.m. as the trip concludes with a meeting against the No. 10 ranked Campbellsville University at 11:15 a.m.
The Crusaders of William Carey jumped out to a strong start this season as they have recorded a 13-2 record with their only losses coming to the University of Rio Grande by a score of 3-2 and 1-0 to No. 10 Campbellsville. Through the first 15 games this season, the Crusaders have posted a .307 BA and average seven runs per contest. Sophomore Brooke Tanner leads the William Carey offense with a .426 average and .466 OBP while junior Haley Nations has posted an impressive .98 ERA through 50 innings pitched and averages 9.1 strikeouts per seven innings. The 2021 season for the Crusaders saw a 39-11 record and a trip to the NAIA Opening Round after winning the SSAC Tournament where they went 0-2 to conclude their postseason run.
The last meeting between the Fire and the Crusaders took place last season where the Fire took a split by the scores of 3-0 and an 8-3 win.
The Saints of Our Lady of the Lake have won four straight after being swept by the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II, UT Tyler. A big component to their 9-4 start is the long ball, ranking second nationally in total home runs with 16. Junior Cassandra Valdez is responsibe for four of those and is hitting .467 in 11 games. In the circle, the Saints have struck out 91 in 81.2 innings. Valdez is 5-1 with a 1.36 ERA and is averaging 9.33 strikeouts per seven innings pitched.
On Saturday, the Fire will take on the Generals of Louisiana State University Alexandria who have a current record of 4-6 after a 22-14 overall record in 2021 that advanced them to the Red River Conference Tournament where they went 0-2. Bailey McCleary has had a successful start to her senior season with a .556 average and .630 slugging percentage. The Generals have looked to a freshman pitcher for a majority of the innings thus far with Taylor Spencer collecting 21.2 innings and a 3.55 ERA and an average of 5.5 strikeouts per seven innings.
This will be the second contest between these two teams will LSU-Alexandria taking the first contest by a score of 6-5 in the 2016 season.
The weekend will conclude with the Fire's toughest competition as the face off against the No. 10 team in the nation in Campbellsville University who holds a 6-3 overall record. The Tigers posted an impressive 41-13 record last season as well as the title of the Mid-South Conference Tournament Champion while also advancing to the NAIA Opening Round where they dropped two contests to Olivet Nazarene. Through their first nine games this season, the Tigers have registered a .268 BA and 44 runs for an average of nearly five runs per game.
The Tigers will be forced to replace a large part of their offense in the 2021 season in Ryley Whittney who posted a .444 average with 15 doubles and nine home runs as well as 48 RBI's. They do return their second best statistical hitter in junior Payton Blades who concluded the 2021 season with a .422 average with 14 doubles and seven homeruns. The Tigers also return their ace arm from last season in Katy Chadwell who finished with a 21-5 record through 151.1 innings pitched for an ERA of 2.36 and 102 strikeouts.
The last meeting between the Fire and the Tigers took place last season where the Fire took game one by a score of 10-2 and dropped game two 6-1.
The Fire go into the weekend tournament with a 8-4 record after sweeping Cleary University by scores of 2-0 and 6-0. Collectively, the Fire have posted a .270 batting average and 53 runs for an average of 4.3 runs per game.
Erica Stahl has put together an impressive start to her junior season with a .455 BA behind five doubles, two home runs and six RBI's after an All-Conference worthy sophomore season in 2021.
Jamie Mead has been the Fire's most consistent presence on base with a team high 10 walks, .556 OBP, and .360 average.
The addition of two freshman arms on the mound in
Claire Sekinger and
Kenzie Forrester has propelled the Fire pitching staff to a collective 1.53 ERA with Sekinger going three complete games and has yet to allow an earned run through her four appearances with Forrester collecting eight strikeouts through six innings and allowing only one hit. Sophomore
Autumn Hunter has collected the most innings at 32 with a 4-2 record and 1.97 ERA.
Last year's trip to Gulf Shores saw the Fire come home with a 3-1 record including a win over the then No. 6 ranked Columbia College by a score of 3-2.
