CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Southeastern pushed the Sun Conference Tournament Championship to the brink but ultimately came up short, defeating Keiser in Game 1 before falling 5-2 in a rain-delayed Game 2 to finish as tournament runner-up.
Facing a must-win scenario Saturday morning, the Fire delivered a decisive response, erupting for seven runs in the second inning to claim a 9-5 victory and force a winner-take-all final later in the day.
After falling behind 2-0 in the opening inning, Southeastern answered with one of its most explosive innings of the season. The Fire sent 11 batters to the plate in the second, collecting seven hits and scoring seven runs to seize control. RBI hits from
Ava Planeta,
Chloe Baker,
Abby Franey,
Hailey Bradley,
Raylei McKinney, and
Nicole Wasserstrom fueled the surge, flipping the early deficit into a 7-2 advantage.
Southeastern continued to apply pressure throughout the game, adding insurance in the sixth inning on an RBI bunt from Bradley and an RBI double from McKinney to extend the lead to 9-3. Keiser trimmed the margin with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth, but the Fire maintained control behind a strong outing from
Edan Playa. Entering in the first inning, Playa worked seven innings in relief, allowing just three runs (two earned) while striking out eight to earn the win.
Offensively, Southeastern totaled 13 hits, with McKinney leading the way with three hits and two RBIs. Bradley drove in three runs, while Franey added two hits and an RBI, highlighting a balanced effort that kept the Fire's championship hopes alive.
The decisive Game 2, however, unfolded under different circumstances. After Keiser built a 5-2 lead through five innings, heavy rain halted play Saturday afternoon, pushing the remainder of the game to Sunday morning.
When play resumed, Southeastern was unable to generate the comeback it needed.
Keiser seized control early with a three-run third inning, stringing together four hits to break a scoreless tie. The Seahawks added a run in the fourth and another in the fifth before the delay, extending the lead to 5-2.
Southeastern's scoring came in the bottom of the third, as the Fire capitalized on pressure and defensive miscues.
Abby Franey sparked the rally with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt before
Hailey Bradley reached on an error. Franey later scored on a wild pitch, and Bradley came home on another Keiser miscue, allowing SEU to close within one despite recording just one hit in the inning.
That would be as close as the Fire would get. Keiser pitcher Mackenzie Masternak settled in from there, limiting Southeastern to six hits and not allowing an earned run across seven innings.
Following the overnight delay, the Fire put runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings, including loading the bases in the final frame, but could not find the timely hit to extend the game. Keiser's defense held to close out the victory and secure the Sun Conference Tournament title.
Southeastern will now turn its attention to the NAIA National Championship Selection Show on May 6 at 5 p.m. CT, where the Fire will learn their Opening Round bracket. SEU is set to host an Opening Round site for the first time in program history, welcoming teams to the Diamond Plex in Winter Haven from May 11–14.
