LAKELAND, Fla.- Southeastern softball completed their fourth Sun Conference sweep of the season today after two lopsided wins over Florida Memorial by scores of 8-0 and 10-5.
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Autumn Hunter (11-4) was untouchable in game two of the series, tossing a no-hitter in the five-inning 8-0 run rule. The junior needed just 61 pitches to complete the no-hitter.
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Southeastern (29-12, 17-4 SUN) capitalized on five Lions' errors to take the win, four of which came in the first inning handing the Fire a 4-0 lead after one trip to the plate.
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After Hunter retired the first six straight, the Fire added two more to their run total in the second inning after
Lauren Sekinger drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a
Chapel Cunningham bunt single. An
Erica Stahl single then scored Sekinger while
Haleigh Harrell later scored
Jamie Mead on a sacrifice fly to move the Fire lead to six.
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In the bottom of the fourth, Cunningham led off the inning with a single, stole her conference leading 30
th base of the season, and scored on a Mead single up the middle. Stahl followed with an RBI groundout to put the Fire in run-rule position.
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Hunter then tossed another three-up three-down inning in the top of the fifth to secure the run-rule.
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Game two saw
Kenzie Forrester (4-4) toss her fourth complete game of the season, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits for her second win of the series.
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The Lions struck first in game three with four hits in the top of the first including a two-run double and sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead.
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Leah Gonzalez cut the deficit to two in the bottom half of the frame after scoring Cunningham on a double to left field after she reached on a leadoff single.
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The 3-1 Lions lead held until the bottom of the fourth inning after
Danielle Wasserstrom worked a walk after being down 0-2.
Alex Hilton executed a sacrifice bunt to move her to second while a Cunningham bunt single moved her a base away. A throwing error on the next batter then allowed Wasserstrom to score.
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The next batter, Stahl gave her team the 4-3 lead with a two-run single to center field.
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A Harrell single to right center scored Mead and Stahl to advance the Fire lead to 6-3.
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Later in the inning,
Madi McDaniel baited the throw from the catcher on a stolen base after pinch running, opening the door for Harrell to beat the throw home for a 7-3 lead.
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A two-run home run by the Lions in the top of the sixth brought them within two.
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Five hits by the Fire in the bottom of the sixth added three more to their run total as Harrell picked up another RBI with a double into left and McDaniel tallied an RBI with a sacrifice fly.
Kaitlyn Quillen then earned a pinch hit, RBI single to score Harrell for the 10-5 Fire lead.
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The Lions managed two base runners with two outs in the top of the seventh but a fly out ended the contest.
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Stahl and Harrell both ended game two 3-4 with two runs scored and a combined five RBI's.
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No. 16 Southeastern will have a quick turnaround as they host No. 11 Georgia Gwinnett for a doubleheader on Monday at 2 & 4 p.m.