GULF SHORES, Ala.- The Southeastern University softball team ended day one of the Gulf Coast Invitational in an impressive way after going 2-0 against two nationally recognized programs and advanced to 10-4 on the season.
In game one, the Fire won the close contested battle against the No. 16 ranked William Carey University by a score of 3-2 behind a stellar pitching performance by freshman
Claire Sekinger who opened the game sitting down six consecutive opposing hitters. The Crusaders took advantage of a hit by pitch and a walk in the fourth as an RBI double would give them the 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
The Crusader lead was short lived after the Fire answered back in the bottom half of the frame to tie things up after
Riley Sanders reached base on an error to start off the inning.
Jamie Mead would move Sanders all the way to third with a sacrifice bunt which allowed Sanders to score on a fielder's choice by
Erica Stahl.
The Fire bats came alive in the fifth inning as they posted two more runs off of four hits to take the 3-1 lead. The second Fire run came around four singles including an RBI single into center field by Mead that would score
Chapel Cunningham. The Fire would then extend their lead to 3-1 after
Katie Atkins drew a bases loaded walk to bring home
Madison Williams.
The Crusaders threatened while down to their final three outs as they would move the score to 3-2 after a leadoff single and a throwing error allowed the leadoff hitter to advance to second and another single brought her home. With their backs against the wall with the tying run one base away and only one out, Sekinger would sit down the next two Crusader hitters on strikes to secure the 3-2 upset.
Sekinger advanced to 3-1 on the season behind a seven strikeout, five hit, one earned run performance.
Leah Gonzalez ended game one as the only Fire hitter with multiple hits, going 2-3.
Game two saw the Fire take a 6-3 victory over Our Lady of the Lake as freshman
Kenzie Forrester recorded her first collegiate win after holding the offense that is ranked second nationally in home runs to only two hits and no runs.
Katie Atkins started the Fire scoring in the top of the first after Stahl doubled and scored on an Atkins single. The Saints responded quickly in the bottom half of the frame with a run of their own after an RBI double.
The Saints added another home run to their season total 17 in the second inning after Joanna Gonzalez have the Saints the 3-1 lead off of a two-RBI long ball. From that point, Forrester would come on and shut down the Saints offense.
Gonzalez tallied another hit in the fourth in the form of an RBI single that scored
Haleigh Harrell and was followed up by a two-RBI single by
Madison Williams to give the Fire their first lead of the contest.
The Fire added to that lead in the sixth after two Saints errors allowed
Alex Hilton and Sanders to score, securing the 6-3 victory.
Atkins ended game two 2-3 with a walk and an RBI while the Fire as a whole recorded eight hits.
Day two of the Gulf Coast Invitational will kick off against LSU-Alexandria at 10 a.m. EST and will be rounded out by an 11:15 a.m. EST contest against the No. 10 ranked Campbellsville University.
