THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Fire saw a close game go the other way on Saturday afternoon. Tied in the home seventh, Thomas University slipped past Southeastern University by legging out an infield single as the winning run scored for the 3-2 win.
Tied at 2-2, the Fire were retired in order in the tp of teh seventh. In the hme half of the inning, the Night Hawks received a lead-off single, advanced the runner to second on a ground out and then to third on a wild pitch with two outs. Thomas' Alexis Adams then beat the SEU throw to first as the runner scored to end the game.
For the first time in nine meetings, SEU (4-1) came up short against Thomas (6-3).
The Fire struggled offensively all afternoon, as they were retired in order four times and left only three runners on base in the game.
SEU produced six hits, all singles, by six different players. Both Chapel Cunningham and Ella Brooks lined an RBI single and stole a base. Hailey Bradley, who stole a base, and Lauren Sekinger slashed a hit and scored one run each. Leah Gonzalez and Raylei McKinney rounded out the hitters with a single each.
Edan Playa kept the Fire close, as she gave up seven hits and two earned runs in the circle over 4.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Maria Zelenka came on for the final two frames where she allowed two hits and an earned run with one strikeout.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, Sekinger led off with a single to right center and Katie Short was hit by a pitch two batters later. Cunningham moved both up a base on a ground out to second before Brooks drove in Sekinger with a single to the left side for a 1-1 tie.
Heading to the fifth, Bradley singled with one out and swiped second base. After the second out, Cunningham drove her in with a single for a 2-1 Fire advantage.
Thomas deadlocked the game a second time with a two-out single for a 2-2 contest before a scoreless sixth set up the final inning.
SEU aims to bounce back against ninth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett in a Friday afternoon doulbleheader in Thomasville, Ga. Game one is scheduled to start at 1 p.m..
