COLUMBUS, Ga.- The Southeastern University Fire's record-breaking, 52-13 season concluded with a fourth place national finish tonight after coming up just short in a 2-1, 10-inning loss to the fifth seeded University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
In a showdown of two of the nation's top pitchers, both offenses were held scoreless until the fourth inning when
Haleigh Harrell sent her second home run of the World Series over the left field wall, claiming a 1-0 lead for the Fire.
The Drovers responded in the next inning with a run of their own after a leadoff walk would come home on a well-executed squeeze play.
The Fire defense continued to work out of jams for five more innings including in the eighth, when
Madison Williams gunned down the possible game-winning run at home plate from left field for the third out, keeping the Fire's hopes alive.
The two arms continued to battle until the bottom of the 10
th inning, when three singles by the Drovers brought home the winning run with two outs.
In the biggest game of her collegiate career, freshman
Claire Sekinger went the distance with 9.2 innings, just one earned run and seven strikeouts.
