LAKELAND, Fla.—The lone run in a pitchers' duel was hard to come by in a battle of No. 16 Southeastern and No. 21 Coastal Georgia.
The home Fire manufactured the lone run of the game in the bottom of the eighth on a squeeze bunt to come away with a 1-0 win to end Costal Georgia's 14-game win streak and improve to 12-1 in Sun Conference play.
Claire Sekinger was stellar in the pitching circle, allowing just three hits over eight innings of work with six strikeouts and no walks.
At the plate, the Fire posted 10 hits but stranded 12 runners during the contest which included leaving the bases loaded in the second and sixth. In the fourth, the Fire had runners at first and second with one out when
Lauren Sekinger singled to shallow right field.
Alex Hilton attempted to score from second, but was tagged out at home on a close play.
A two-out walk to
Jamie Mead in the sixth loaded the bases, but a flyout to center ended the threat.
Two strikeouts by Sekinger in the top of the eighth were key in holding the Mariners without a run in the extra frame. In the bottom of the inning, a wild pitch helped tiebreaker runner
Mallory Watts reach third, then scored on
Nicole Wasserstrom's sacrifice bunt to the pitcher.
Wasserstrom finished 3-for-3 with the game's lone RBI.
Leah Gonzalez added a 2-for-4 day with a double and Sekinger was 2-for-3 at the plate.
The two teams will meet for a doubleheader on Friday starting at noon.
