LAKELAND, Fla.- In a race for the Sun Conference Regular Season title, Southeastern University will conclude the regular season this weekend as they travel to Ave Maria for a single contest on Friday at 12 p.m. and doubleheader on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m.
The No. 17 ranked Fire currently sit one game out from first place in the SUN, trailing Coastal Georgia with a 17-4 conference record.
The Mariners will host Keiser University for three-games this weekend.
Southeastern currently sits at second in the conference on the offensive front, posting a .300 batting average with an average of 4.57 runs per contest.
Leah Gonzalez ranks within the top five in the SUN in multiple offensive categories with her .394 average landing at fifth, 52 hits ranking third, and 31 RBI's sitting at second.
The bat of
Erica Stahl has come alive as of late as she has posted a team-best .588 average through her last five contests, going 10-17 with six RBI's, five runs scored, and .611 on-base percentage.
Chapel Cunningham currently leads the SUN in stolen bases with 30 including a perfect 22-22 effort in conference play.
The Fire also lead the conference in fielding percentage with a .972. Freshman
Nicole Wasserstrom leads the conference in runners caught stealing with 12.
Through her last three starts,
Autumn Hunter has allowed just two earned runs, both of which came against the No. 11 Grizzlies, for a miniscule 0.78 ERA. The junior has struck out nine and held her opponents to a .164 average with two shutouts, one of which was a no-hitter, in her last 18 innings of work.
Ave Maria (18-24) currently sits in last place in the SUN with a 5-16 conference record and come into the weekend series looking to snap a 13-game losing streak consisting of four-consecutive conference sweeps. The Gyrenes most recently were swept by No. 21 Coastal Georgia, scoring just one run in the three-game series.
Collectively, the Gyrenes hold a .279 batting average, scoring 4.59 runs per contest. Ryanne Saluter leads the Gyrene offense with a .350 average and 42 hits with two doubles and six triples which sits tied for second in the SUN.
The pitching staff holds an ERA of 3.00 with Kaedyn Sutton shouldering most of the work, tossing 127.2 innings and posting a 2.80 ERA and 10-10 record.
The Fire swept the Gyrenes in their three-game series last season to extend their 19-6 historical record over the Gyrenes.
