WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Southeastern kept its season alive Wednesday afternoon, using timely hitting and a career performance from Edan Playa to defeat Evangel 5-1 in the elimination bracket of the NAIA Softball Opening Round Lakeland Bracket. The win sends the top-seeded Fire into the Opening Round Final later in the day against Faulkner, while Evangel's season comes to an end at 44-11.

After falling into the elimination bracket on Tuesday, Southeastern responded with one of its cleanest performances of the tournament. The Fire collected nine hits, played error-free defense, and received a complete-game effort from Playa, who improved to 16-4 on the season after recording a career-high nine strikeouts without issuing a walk.

Both teams traded scoreless innings through the first three frames as Playa and Evangel ace Maddy Meierer matched zeros early. Southeastern threatened in the second inning after Nicole Wasserstrom was hit by a pitch and Lauren Sekinger delivered a single before stealing second, but the Fire stranded runners at second and third to keep the game scoreless.

Playa settled in quickly inside the circle, striking out six through the first four innings while limiting Evangel to scattered singles. The junior retired the side in order during the fourth inning, punctuated by back-to-back strikeouts to maintain the deadlock.
The breakthrough finally came in the bottom of the fourth.

With two outs, Jaidyn Fuller worked a walk and Sekinger followed with another free pass to put two aboard. Chloe Baker then ripped an RBI single down the right-field line to plate the game's first run. Moments later, Abby Franey delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon, lining a two-run single that skipped past the Evangel right fielder, allowing both Sekinger and Baker to score as Southeastern opened a 3-0 advantage.

The Fire added insurance in the sixth inning.

Franey started the rally with her second hit of the day before Ella Brooks worked a walk. Following a passed ball and a hit batter that loaded the bases, Raylei McKinney came through with a two-run single to left-center field, extending the Southeastern lead to 5-0.

Evangel mounted one final push in the seventh, loading the bases with one out after three consecutive singles. Danielle Cutbirth lifted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home the Valor's lone run, but Playa responded by striking out Naomi Perkins to end the game and seal the Fire victory.

Franey paced the Southeastern offense with a 2-for-3 performance and two RBIs, while McKinney also drove in a pair. Brooks reached base three times with a hit and two walks, and Baker added an RBI and a run scored. Sekinger crossed the plate twice as part of the balanced Fire attack.

For Evangel, Kaylee Dolores and Karli Facklam each recorded two hits in the loss, while Meierer suffered just her fifth defeat of the season after allowing three runs across 4.1 innings.

Southeastern advances to the Opening Round Final, needing two victories over Faulkner in two days to claim the Lakeland Bracket championship and punch its ticket to the NAIA World Series.