LAKELAND, Fla.—A two-run homer in the top of the sixth gave Thomas its first lead of the game, but Southeastern was able to answer in the bottom of the inning to come away with a 5-3 win in the first of a three-game Sun Conference series on Tuesday.
Trailing 3-2, the inning started with
Haleigh Harrell reaching on an error, then went to third on a double by
Lauren Sekinger. After a shallow fly out, the Fire tried to tie the game with some small ball. Nicki Wasserstrom placed a squeeze bunt back to the pitcher with the throw home not in time to retire Harrell. Wasserstrom attempted to go to second which drew a wild throw allowing Sekinger to score along with Wasserstrom to give the Fire a two-run lead.
Claire Sekinger picked up her 11
th win of the season, using just over 100 pitches to work a complete game. The sophomore allowed three runs on five hits with 11 strikeouts. It was her fifth game of the season with 10 or more strikeouts.
Southeastern (19-9, 9-1 SUN) manufactured a run in the first with a double steal with
Jamie Mead scoring when
Leah Gonzalez got in a run down between first and third. Thomas tied the game on a fielding error with runners on second and third in the fifth.
Erica Stahl answered in the next half inning with a double off the left field wall to score Mead and put the Fire back up 2-1.
Thomas took its first lead with a one-out, two-run homer to left.
Five different players accounted for the five SEU hits.
The two teams will meet for a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m.
