Pitching Performances Power Fire Past Pioneers

CLERMONT, Fla.- A pair of phenomenal pitching performances by Southeastern aces allowed the Fire to sweep Point Park University by scores of 7-3 and 13-1. With the victories, SEU improved to 7-3 on the year.
After the Fire surrendered the first run of the contest in the third, Southeastern immediately responded in the bottom of the inning.
Hannah Bonner doubled in Jaz Szierer, who scored all the way from first to get the Fire on the board. Bailee Moll then singled in Bonner as SEU took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third.
In the fifth, Southeastern capitalized on three hits to open up the offense. The first of two hits by Heather Faulk started the frame. After Faulk stole second and Haleigh Harrell was hit by a pitch, Moll singled and Faulk scored on a throwing error. Moll ended game one with a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored.
Kristen Schwartz scored Harrell on a well-executed sacrifice bunt before Lauren Watters singled in Moll to make it a four-run game.
After the Pioneers got a run back in the sixth, Southeastern answered once again. With the bases loaded, Harrell singled down the right field line, plating Bonner and Kaylee Orr to give SEU a 7-2 lead.
Thanks to a complete game effort by Hannah Bodenhorn, who allowed only two earned runs, the Fire earned a 7-3 triumph. Bodenhorn struck out nine, including the side in the second inning.
“Both pitchers came out today, threw really well and kept it together. Hannah [Bodenhorn] seemed to have all of her stuff working in the first game for us,” said Head Coach Rocky Stinson.
In game two, Ashley Appell worked a near-perfect game in the circle. The sophomore only gave up one hit through five full innings of work.
Stinson added, “Despite a couple of walks early, Ashley [Appell] settled down and threw really well. As soon as she got into a groove, we started rolling.”
Appell got more than enough run support when Southeastern broke through in the fourth inning. Back-to-back hits enabled SEU to get on the board with a double from Schwartz and an RBI single by Watters. Three consecutive Point Park errors gave the Fire a 3-0 advantage before Bonner singled in Whitney Purdy to make 4-0 through four.
Appell then worked a 1-2-3 inning, which kept Southeastern rolling. Moll scored Holcomb and Schwartz on a 2-RBI single up the middle in the top of the fifth.
In the sixth, the Fire put the game away, scoring seven runs on as many hits. Schwartz, Holcomb, Bonner and Katie Monzon all registered RBIs in the half inning to give the Fire a 13-0 lead.
Overall, Southeastern dominated the second contest, collecting 14 hits and batting .412 (14-34). All nine batters in the original lineup registered a hit, highlighted by Schwartz’s three-hit performance. Schwartz also added two RBIs and three runs scored in the latter game.
Dayna McDonald came in to close out the competition, a 13-1 victory for SEU.
The Fire will now travel back to Clermont on Monday for a doubleheader against Mount Vernon Nazarene University. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11:45 a.m.