LAKELAND, Fla. -- The road to Columbus begins in Central Florida this week as top-seeded Southeastern hosts the 2026 NAIA Softball Opening Round at the Diamond Plex in Winter Haven. The four-team field includes No. 2 seed Evangel, No. 3 seed Faulkner, and No. 4 seed Dillard, with the winner advancing to the NAIA World Series later this month in Columbus, Georgia.
Tournament play begins Monday morning with Southeastern taking on Dillard at 11 a.m. ET in the opening game of the bracket. The second first-round matchup follows at 2 p.m. ET when Evangel faces Faulkner. Winners of the two opening games advance to Tuesday's semifinal at 11 a.m. ET, while the losing teams meet in an elimination game at 2 p.m. ET. Tuesday concludes with another elimination matchup at 5 p.m. ET between the loser of Game 3 and the winner of Game 4.
Championship day is scheduled for Wednesday with the Opening Round Final set for noon ET. If necessary, a winner-take-all game would follow at 3 p.m. ET.
Follow the Fire
All games of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round will stream free on the Urban Edge Network across smart TVs, mobile apps, and online at urbanedgenetwork.net. Complete tournament information, including streaming links, live stats, tickets, and coverage, is available at
fire.seu.edu/softballOR.
Fire 5
- For the first time in program history, Southeastern will host an NAIA Softball Opening Round. The Fire enter the week 44-7 overall and 13-13 all-time in Opening Round games. #FuelTheFire #BattleForTheRedBanner
- Southeastern owns one of the top pitching staffs in the NAIA with a 1.16 ERA, 21 shutouts, and opponents hitting just .191 against the Fire this season. #FuelTheFire #BattleForTheRedBanner
- Raylei McKinney enters the postseason hitting .486 with 13 HR and 60 RBI, becoming just the second player in program history to record 60 RBI in a season. #FuelTheFire #BattleForTheRedBanner
- The Fire are 35-1 when scoring first this season and undefeated when scoring 6+ runs. SEU is also 35-1 when out-hitting opponents entering Opening Round play. #FuelTheFire #BattleForTheRedBanner
- Southeastern has reached the NAIA World Series twice in program history, advancing out of the Opening Round in both 2016 and 2022. #FuelTheFire #BattleForTheRedBanner
Built for the Postseason
Southeastern enters NAIA postseason play with a 44-7 overall record after capturing the Sun Conference regular season title with a 22-2 mark in league play. The Fire are making their ninth appearance in the NAIA Opening Round and, for the first time in program history, will host an Opening Round site. SEU enters the week with a 13-13 all-time record in Opening Round play and has twice advanced through the bracket to reach the NAIA World Series in 2016 and 2022.
The Fire enter the tournament as one of the nation's top offensive teams, ranking inside the NAIA Top 50 in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, extra-base hits, and home runs. Southeastern is hitting .334 as a team with a .404 on-base percentage and .461 slugging percentage while totaling 95 extra-base hits and 25 home runs entering postseason play.
Southeastern has been especially dominant offensively in key situations this season. The Fire are batting .362 with runners in scoring position and .353 overall with runners on base while opponents are hitting below .200 in both categories. SEU is also hitting .449 in leadoff situations and batting .322 with two outs.
Pitching has been the foundation for Southeastern throughout the season, with the Fire leading the entire NAIA in both ERA (1.16) and WHIP (0.87). SEU also ranks 13th nationally in strikeouts per seven innings while holding opponents to just a .191 batting average. The Fire have recorded 21 shutouts in 48 games and have allowed only six home runs all season.
Opponents have managed just six total home runs against the Fire pitching staff all year, while SEU has held teams to a .242 slugging percentage. Defensively, Southeastern owns a .964 fielding percentage and has turned 13 double plays.
The Fire have consistently controlled games early, posting a 35-1 record when scoring first and a perfect 22-0 mark when scoring in the opening inning. Southeastern is also 36-2 when holding opponents to two runs or fewer and undefeated when scoring six or more runs.
Southeastern has also shown the ability to win in multiple styles throughout the season. The Fire are 24-6 when not hitting a home run, showing the ability to manufacture offense with speed and situational hitting, while also posting a combined 17-1 record when hitting at least one homer in a game.
The Fire have been particularly effective when out-hitting opponents, going 35-1 in those contests this season. Southeastern is also 18-1 when playing error-free softball and 17-1 when committing just one error, further highlighting the balance between offensive production and defensive consistency that has defined the season.
McKinney Making History
Raylei McKinney has put together one of the best offensive seasons in program history entering the postseason. The Sun Conference Player of the Year leads the conference with a .486 batting average, 13 home runs, and 60 RBIs while ranking ninth nationally in batting average. McKinney has recorded 23 multi-hit games and 17 multi-RBI performances this season.
Already just the second player in SEU history to reach 60 RBIs in a season, McKinney enters Opening Round play one total base shy of the school single-season record. She also set a program record earlier this year by homering in four consecutive games and reached base safely in 28 straight contests.
Setting the Table
Ella Brooks has been one of the nation's top leadoff hitters this season, batting .444 with 67 hits and 44 stolen bases. Her 44 steals rank second in program history for a single season, and she became just the fourth player in SEU history to swipe 40 or more bags in a year.
Brooks recorded 21 multi-hit games this season, including a pair of four-hit performances, while also putting together a 25-game reached-base streak. Her ability to pressure opposing defenses at the top of the order has helped fuel Southeastern's offense throughout the spring.
Veteran Presence Around the Diamond
Lauren Sekinger earned Second Team All-Sun Conference honors after batting .339 with 43 hits while anchoring the left side of the infield. Sekinger has also drawn 17 walks and posted a .969 fielding percentage entering postseason play.
Erica Ramsey added another all-conference season, hitting .311 with four home runs and 21 RBIs while providing steady defense behind the plate. Ramsey owns a .994 fielding percentage with just one error all season.
Hailey Bradley was named to the Sun Conference All-Tournament Team after another productive year near the top of the lineup. Bradley scored 34 runs while batting .319 and reaching base at a .414 clip.
Circle of Trust
The Fire enter the postseason led by one of the nation's top pitching duos in
Maria Zelenka and
Edan Playa. Zelenka earned Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 1.13 ERA with 145 strikeouts across 117.2 innings. She recorded four double-digit strikeout games this season and held opponents to a .190 batting average.
Zelenka opened the season by winning the conference's first six Pitcher of the Week awards and finished with nine overall selections. She also threw a five-inning no-hitter against Ave Maria and carried a stretch of 35 consecutive scoreless innings during the season. Offensively, she added a .326 batting average with eight doubles and two home runs.
Playa has been equally dominant in the circle, entering postseason play with a 0.92 ERA and four saves while limiting opposing hitters to a .172 average. The First Team All-Sun Conference selection allowed just one home run during the regular season and ranks among the NAIA leaders in ERA and WHIP.
Emma Vickers has also provided quality depth for the Fire staff, going 9-1 with a 1.40 ERA across 65 innings. Southeastern's pitching group has combined for 284 strikeouts while allowing just 69 total runs all season.
Scouting the Winter Haven Field
Evangel enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed after winning the KCAC regular season title with a 43-9 record. The Valor feature one of the nation's top offenses, batting .324 as a team with 179 stolen bases. Kenna Mayfield leads Evangel with a .486 average and 59 steals, while Maddy Meierer anchors the pitching staff with a 0.98 ERA and 177 strikeouts.
Faulkner arrives in Central Florida with a 35-14 overall record after earning an at-large berth from the SSAC. The Eagles hit .344 as a team and are led offensively by Chloe Davidson (.453) and Addyson Jarman, who has 10 home runs and 47 RBIs. Reece Patterson leads the pitching staff with a 1.42 ERA in 103.1 innings.
Dillard makes its first-ever NAIA Opening Round appearance after winning the HBCU Athletic Conference Tournament title. The Bleu Devils hit .352 as a team and are paced by Jessica Battiste, who is batting .467 with 17 doubles, six home runs, and 49 RBIs. Mary-Elizabeth Landry leads the pitching staff with 135 strikeouts in 142.2 innings pitched.
Eyes on Columbus
The winner of the Winter Haven Opening Round advances to the 2026 NAIA Softball World Series, scheduled for May 21-27 at the South Commons Complex in Columbus, Georgia.
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