LAKELAND, Fla. -- No. 19 Southeastern turned in a dominant day at the SEU Softball Stadium on Friday, sweeping a doubleheader from Thomas with a pair of 7–0 victories to improve to 4–0 on the season. Powered by shutdown pitching, timely hitting, and clean defense, the Fire controlled both games from the outset and never allowed Thomas to find offensive rhythm.
Southeastern wasted little time asserting itself in the opener. The Fire struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning, immediately putting pressure on the Night Hawks.
Ella Brooks and
Hailey Bradley reached to set the table, and after a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position,
Raylei McKinney delivered a two-RBI single to right field. The early 2–0 advantage allowed SEU to settle into a comfortable tempo.
The Fire broke the game open in the second.
Breanna Stowers ignited the inning with a double to right-center, and
Jaidyn Fuller followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Bradley added an RBI single, and Southeastern capitalized on a Thomas throwing error to bring home two more runs. McKinney capped the rally with an RBI double, extending the lead to 6–0 after just two innings.
That was more than enough support for starting pitcher
Maria Zelenka. The right-hander was sharp and efficient across five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits while striking out six and walking none. She kept Thomas off balance throughout, inducing weak contact and never allowing a runner past second base.
Emma Vickers closed the game with two hitless innings in relief, preserving the shutout.
Offensively, Southeastern racked up 11 hits and showcased depth throughout the lineup. Bradley led the way with a perfect 3-for-3 day and two RBIs. McKinney finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, driving in nearly half of SEU's runs. Brooks and Stowers each recorded two hits as well, helping the Fire maintain steady pressure from top to bottom in the order. Defensively, Southeastern was flawless, committing no errors and supporting its pitchers with crisp play behind them.
If the first game set the tone, the second reinforced it. Southeastern again took control early, this time manufacturing runs before recording a hit. Brooks drew a leadoff walk and promptly stole both second and third to move into scoring position. Bradley and
Lauren Sekinger followed with walks to load the bases, and Thomas miscues proved costly. A throwing error allowed two runs to score, and
Ava Planeta added an RBI groundout to make it 3–0. All three runs were unearned, but they shifted momentum squarely to the Fire.
From there, pitching took center stage once more.
Edan Playa delivered six strong innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six without a walk. She worked quickly and confidently, limiting Thomas to scattered contact and keeping hitters from stringing together opportunities.
Elana Roush handled the seventh inning, surrendering one hit and striking out one to finish the combined three-hit shutout.
Southeastern added insurance in the fourth inning when Fuller singled and Brooks ripped a two-RBI double to right-center, stretching the lead to 5–0. Brooks was a constant disruption on the basepaths, swiping three bases and forcing Thomas to rush throws and defensive decisions.
The decisive blow came in the fifth. Sekinger reached and
Bella Brown entered as a pinch runner before McKinney launched a two-run home run to center field. The drive pushed the margin to 7–0 and effectively sealed the sweep. McKinney finished with two RBIs in Game 2 after driving in three in the opener, capping an impressive day at the plate.
Although Southeastern collected only five hits in the second game, the Fire paired them with seven walks and aggressive baserunning to maximize scoring chances. The approach highlighted their versatility — the ability to score via power, speed, and situational execution. Once again, the defense was spotless, giving Southeastern a doubleheader with zero errors.
Across the two games, Southeastern outscored Thomas 14–0, outhit them 16–6, and did not commit a single error. Fire pitchers combined for 14 scoreless innings, allowing just six total hits while striking out 14 and walking only one.
Brooks and McKinney were key catalysts across the twin bill, combining for extra-base hits, RBIs, and disruptive baserunning. Bradley, Stowers, and Fuller also provided important contributions.
With the sweep complete, Southeastern now turns its attention to Saturday's home doubleheader against Abraham Baldwin. The Fire will host the Stallions on February 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the SEU Softball Field, looking to carry their momentum from Friday's dominant performances into another strong showing.
