KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Southeastern University Softball began its NAIA postseason journey with a cross-country trip to Oregon but fell in its tournament opener to Midland University, 6-3, in the Klamath Falls Opening Round bracket.
After a quiet start through three scoreless innings, the game broke open in the fourth. Midland, the No. 3 seed in the Opening Round, used a string of three consecutive singles followed by a 3-run double to ignite a six-run inning on five hits. The Fire responded in the bottom half with back-to-back doubles by Hailey Brooks and Kassidy Moore, both of whom came around to score, cutting the deficit to 6-2.
SEU plated one more run in the sixth when Chapel Cunningham drove in Brooks, but the rally stalled there. The Fire stranded nine runners in the game, including two in scoring position in the first two innings.
Despite the loss, the Fire will look to replicate last season's Opening Round resilience. In 2024, they rebounded from an opening loss with two wins on Day 2, and are now aiming for a similar comeback. Southeastern has now reached the NAIA National Tournament for the fourth consecutive season, including a 2022 trip to the NAIA World Series.
In the circle, Edan Playa took the loss to fall to 18-6 on the season, tossing 3.2 innings with five strikeouts. Maria Zelenka provided a strong relief effort, working 3.1 scoreless frames with three strikeouts while retiring the final seven Viking batters in order.
Moore led the Fire offense, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Cunningham and Brooks each had two hits, with Cunningham also stealing a base and driving in a run. Brooks doubled, singled, and scored twice. Hailey Bradley added an RBI single, while Raylei McKinney and Lauren Sekinger chipped in with base hits as well.
The Fire had early opportunities to score. In the first inning, Cunningham singled, advanced to third, but was stranded. In the second, SEU loaded the bases with one out but couldn't bring a run home.
Trailing 6-2 in the fifth, McKinney singled and advanced on a wild pitch, but was left on base. SEU cut it to 6-3 in the sixth but couldn't add more. After a two-out single by Sekinger in the seventh, the Fire left their ninth runner stranded to close the game.
Southeastern will now fight to extend its season on Tuesday in do-or-die play, as they return to the diamond for an elimination match-up against No. 5 seed Arizona Christian at 2 p.m. EDT. A win would push the Fire into a second game later that day at 7 p.m. EDT.
