LAKELAND, Fla. -- No. 10 Southeastern heads to Gulf Shores, Alabama, this weekend for the 2026 Gulf Coast Invitational, a five-game neutral-site event featuring programs from across the NAIA. The Fire will play two games on Friday, two on Saturday, and close the weekend Sunday morning. Southeastern enters the tournament riding an eight-game winning streak and carrying one of the top statistical profiles in the NAIA on both offense and pitching.
Schedule
- Friday – 10 a.m. EST – vs. Campbellsville
- Friday – 12:15 p.m. EST – vs. Point
- Saturday – 12:15 p.m. EST – vs. Saint Ambrose
- Saturday – 2:30 p.m. EST – vs. #9 Our Lady of the Lake
- Sunday – 10 a.m. EST – vs. #16 LSU Alexandria
All games at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex in Gulf Shores, Ala.
How to Follow
There will be no live video for the event. Fans can follow live stats only, with updates provided throughout the weekend on SEU Athletics social media. Full recaps will be posted on SEUFire.com following each game.
Fire 5 – Twitter Worthy Notes
- Nation's Best Staff
Southeastern leads the NAIA with a 0.68 team ERA and 0.74 WHIP, allowing just 11 earned runs in 113 innings this season.
- Zelenka Dominating the Circle
Maria Zelenka leads the Sun Conference with a 0.14 ERA, eight wins, and more than 10 strikeouts per seven innings.
- Elite 1–2 Punch
Zelenka (8–1) and Edan Playa (7–0, 0.55 ERA) have combined for 15 of SEU's 16 wins, forming one of the most dominant pitching duos in the NAIA.
- Brooks Leading the Conference
Ella Brooks leads the Sun Conference in batting average (.556), hits (30), RBIs (19), and on-base percentage (.619) while adding 22 stolen bases.
- Rolling Into Gulf Shores
The Fire enter the weekend 16–2 overall and riding an eight-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 117–15 this season.
About SEU
Southeastern enters the week 16–2 overall and 3–0 in Sun Conference play, holding an .889 winning percentage while riding an eight-game winning streak. The Fire are 14–1 at home, 1–0 on the road, and 1–1 in neutral-site contests entering the Gulf Coast Invitational.
Offensively, SEU is batting .353 as a team with a .438 on-base percentage and a .481 slugging percentage for a .919 OPS. The Fire have recorded 151 hits, 35 extra-base hits, and nine home runs, ranking 30th nationally in batting average and 16th in on-base percentage.
Pitching has been the defining strength for Southeastern. The Fire lead the NAIA with a 0.68 ERA and 0.74 WHIP while ranking sixth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (7.31). Opponents are hitting just .158 against SEU pitching this season.
Within the Sun Conference, Southeastern currently leads the league in batting average (.353), on-base percentage (.438), ERA (0.68), WHIP (0.74), and strikeouts per seven innings (7.31).
At the Plate
Ella Brooks continues to anchor the Fire lineup, batting .556 with 30 hits, 19 RBIs, and 25 runs scored through the first 18 games of the season. Brooks also owns a .619 on-base percentage and is a perfect 22-for-22 in stolen bases, consistently creating scoring opportunities at the top of the lineup.
Raylei McKinney has provided power production in the middle of the order, hitting .481 with eight doubles, two home runs, and 17 RBIs while posting a .750 slugging percentage. Her ability to drive in runs has helped Southeastern maintain one of the most productive offenses in the conference.
Lauren Sekinger continues to be one of the toughest outs in the lineup, batting .460 with 23 hits and an on-base percentage above .500.
Chelsi Rae' Hebert has also provided timely power in limited opportunities, launching three home runs in 21 at-bats while posting a .762 slugging percentage.
Additional contributions have come from
Erica Ramsey (.400 average) and
Hailey Bradley (.325), giving Southeastern depth throughout the lineup and multiple options capable of producing key hits.
In the Circle
Maria Zelenka has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the NAIA, posting an 8–1 record with a 0.14 ERA across 49.2 innings. She has struck out 74 batters while allowing just one earned run all season.
Edan Playa has been equally effective, compiling a 7–0 record with a 0.55 ERA in 38 innings while limiting opponents to a .118 batting average. Playa also leads the Sun Conference in WHIP at 0.50, demonstrating exceptional command and efficiency.
Emma Vickers (1.81 ERA) and
Elana Roush (2.33 ERA) have added depth to the staff, helping Southeastern maintain one of the deepest and most effective pitching rotations in the NAIA.
Series History
Southeastern has previous history with each opponent in the Gulf Coast Invitational field. The Fire are 3–3 all-time against Campbellsville, including wins in the last two meetings, and hold a 5–1 series advantage over Point, highlighted by a perfect 5–0 record in neutral-site matchups.
SEU is 2–1 against Saint Ambrose, winning the last two meetings after dropping the first in 2019. The Fire are also 1–0 against No. 9 Our Lady of the Lake following their only meeting in 2022, while the series with No. 16 LSU Alexandria is tied 1–1, with Southeastern winning the most recent matchup in 2022.
Up Next
Following the Gulf Coast Invitational, Southeastern returns to Sun Conference play with a three-game road series against New College of Florida in Sarasota. The series begins Friday, March 13, at 3 p.m., before concluding with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon on March 14.
The Fire will then return to neutral-site action on Tuesday, March 17, competing in the Space Coast Spring Games in Melbourne, Florida. Southeastern is scheduled to face Johnson (Tenn.) at 2:30 p.m. followed by Northwestern Ohio at 4:15 p.m.
