Fire Softball Sweeps USCB for 30th Win

HARDEEVILLE, S.C. — Late-inning heroics helped the Fire win a pair of road Sun Conference games Saturday against USC Beaufort.
The Fire scored a run in the sixth of the first game for a 2-1 victory, and three in the seventh of the second game for a 7-5 win.
Stef Guercio allowed just three hits in a complete game victory to start the day. The freshman improved to 13-5 on the year with a six strikeout performance, holding the Sand Sharks to one run in the first inning on an RBI double.
Southeastern answered in the fifth, scoring on an error during a single by Kiah Ferrell. An infield single halfway down the third base line by Cheyenne Blaha in the sixth scored Alex Millett to give the Fire the win.
Ferrell and Millett had three hits each, and Blaha posted two.
As a team, the Fire posted 11 hits, but stranded 10 baserunners. SEU had just two strikeouts as a team against sophomore pitcher Abby Pac less than 24 hours after striking out nine times against her in the previous game of the series.
The Fire held a 4-0 lead in the second game of the day, but defensive miscues gave the Sand Sharks a 5-4 lead heading to the seventh.
Southeastern tied the game in the top of the seventh when Faulk drew a walk, followed by a Blaha single. A throwing error by the pitcher on a bunt by Pietrzak scored Faulk to knot the game at 5.
Kiah Ferrell then followed with an RBI single down the left field line to take the lead. SEU tacked on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly by Holcomb to score Pietrzak.
The Fire struck first for the first time in the series when Cat Maldonado doubled in a pair of runs. Heather Faulk stole third, and came home as the result of a throwing error by the catcher in the third to put the Fire up 3-0.
Sam Holcomb made it 4-0 in the third on an RBI fielder’s choice.
Both teams struggled defensively in the second game, combining for five errors. Both of Southeastern’s errors led to three runs.
Lindsie Scholwinski picked up her 14th win of the year, throwing a complete game with six strikeouts and one walk. Of the five runs scored on five hits, just one was earned.
The Fire will kick off a series against third-place Thomas on Friday at home at 4 p.m.