LAKELAND, Fla.- Southeastern softball took advantage of multiple freebies by Thomas University today to take their third Sun Conference sweep of the season with an 8-0 game one win and 3-2 walk-off win in game two.
In game one of the doubleheader, the Fire (21-9, 11-1 SUN) capitalized on five errors and seven walks, two of which walked in a run, to take an 8-0 run-rule victory in five innings.
Leah Gonzalez got the scoring started after
Chapel Cunningham drew a lead off walk and came around to score on a Gonzalez RBI single into right field. Two errors in the inning then allowed the Fire's second run to cross.
A marathon bottom of the second that saw six Fire runs, three hits, an error, and five walks concluded with an 8-0 Fire lead.
Alex Hilton and
Danielle Wasserstrom recorded RBI's after drawing bases loaded walks.
Autumn Hunter moved to 8-4 on the season after tossing four innings, allowing two hits and no earned runs.
Kenzie Forrester came on in relief in the fifth and worked a scoreless inning with one hit and one strikeout.
Gonzalez ended game one going 2-3 with two RBI's.
Game two of the day shaped out to be a pitchers dual as both teams scored in the first and were held scoreless until the sixth.
The Night Hawks scratched out the first run of the contest after a lead off single, sacrifice bunt, and RBI single into center field. Southeastern responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame after three consecutive two-out hits including an RBI double by
Haleigh Harrell.
The tie was broken in the top of the sixth after back-to-back two-out singles and a Fire error brought home the go-ahead run.
Down to their final three outs, Hilton led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side and was moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt by
Nicole Wasserstrom. A Cunningham single and stolen base then put two in scoring position with just one out and
Jamie Mead up to the plate. Mead then called game with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt that scored the tying run while a fielding error on the same play brought home the game-winning run.
Harrell concluded game two 3-3 with two doubles and an RBI while Mead finished 2-4 with an RBI.
Southeastern will next take on Florida National in a non-conference doubleheader on Friday at home at 2 and 4 p.m.
