LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 19 Southeastern opened Sun Conference play Thursday afternoon with a historic performance in the circle, as
Maria Zelenka tossed a five-inning no-hitter to lead the Fire to a 10-0 run-rule victory over Ave Maria at the SEU Softball Field.
The win moves Southeastern to 10-2 overall and 1-0 in Sun Conference action while marking the program's first no-hitter since Claire Sekinger accomplished the feat on May 2, 2024 against Warner.
Zelenka was in complete control from the opening pitch, retiring the side in order in the first inning and never allowing Ave Maria to generate offense. The junior right-hander struck out 10 batters and faced just one over the minimum across five innings. The lone Gyrenes baserunner reached on a defensive error, as Zelenka controlled the game throughout with sharp command and an effective mix that produced consistent swings and misses.
While Zelenka dominated in the circle, Southeastern's offense provided immediate support.
The Fire broke the game open with a six-run first inning, capitalizing on early opportunities to quickly seize momentum.
Ella Brooks reached to begin the rally before
Abby Franey advanced her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
Lauren Sekinger followed with an RBI single to open the scoring.
Raylei McKinney added a double to right center to keep pressure on the Ave Maria defense, and Zelenka helped her own effort with an RBI single later in the inning. Defensive miscues allowed additional runs to score before
Erica Ramsey delivered a sacrifice fly to extend the lead.
Chelsi Rae' Hebert capped the inning with a two-run home run to left center, giving Southeastern a 6-0 advantage after one frame.
Southeastern added another run in the third inning after Zelenka singled and later scored when Brooks was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, stretching the lead to seven runs.
The decisive moment came in the fourth inning when the Fire put the run-rule result within reach. After McKinney reached base and Ramsey singled to continue the rally, Hebert stepped in again and launched her second home run of the afternoon — a three-run shot to right center — pushing the lead to 10-0.
Hebert finished the day with two home runs and five RBIs, recording just the 11th multi-home run game in program history and the first by a Fire player since McKinney accomplished the feat against Florida Memorial on April 26, 2025.
Zelenka also contributed offensively with two hits, while McKinney scored twice as Southeastern totaled eight hits and consistently created scoring pressure throughout the afternoon.
The series continues Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. at the SEU Softball Field.
