Fire Fall to Tigers and Knights in Clermont

CLERMONT, Fla— In their second trip to Clermont this season, the Fire softball team dropped two close contests to tough competition, falling to Doane University by a score of 4-3 before being bested by No. 5 Marian 2-0.
In game one of the day, the Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to four hits in the top of the first.
Bailee Moll answered in the bottom of the second with a 2-RBI double down the left field line that scored Hannah Bonner and Kristen Schwartz. The RBIs brought Moll’s team-high to 20 batted in on the year.
To start the third, Haleigh Harrell tripled to right center. The sophomore was brought in with a sacrifice fly by Sam Holcomb in the next at bat as the Fire were able to take a 3-2 lead.
Cheyenne Benson-Ross settled in after the first inning, retiring nine straight batters from the second through the fourth innings.
Despite the performance on the mound, the Tigers responded to grab a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth with a two-run home run to center that ended up providing the winning run.
Against No. 5 Marian, the teams were involved in a pitcher’s duel. Neither team registered a baserunner until the third inning, when Whittney Purdy reached on a walk.
The Knights then notched back-to-back hits in the bottom of the third, but Hannah Bodenhorn got out of the frame without any damage by retiring three straight. In the fourth, two MU batters reached; however, the senior was equal to the task once again, stranding the runners on second and third, respectively.
Marian did finally capitalize in the fifth with four hits and two runs in the fifth, which was all the support Breena Smith needed on the mound. The senior struck out seven Fire batters and did not surrender a single hit in the competition.
Bodenhorn finished with seven strikeouts as well in her complete game performance.
With the pair of losses, Southeastern moved to 13-12 on the year.
The Fire will head back to Clermont on Thursday to take on Lourdes University and St. Ambrose. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. versus Lourdes and 11:15 a.m. against St. Ambrose.