No. 9 Softball Falls to No. 3 Southeastern 9-5, Forcing If-Necessary Game with SUN Championship on the Line

Box Score

Game Matchup: No. 9 Keiser University Seahawks vs. No. 3 Southeastern University Fire
Records: No. 9 Keiser Seahawks (43-8) vs. No. 3 Southeastern Fire (44-6)

Game Score: No. 9 Keiser 5, No. 3 Southeastern 9
Pitchers of Record: W: E. Playa (15-2), L: M. Miller (8-2)
Time of Game: 10:30 AM

Eddie C. Moore Complex | Clearwater, Fla.

CLEARWATER, Fla. The Keiser University softball team dropped the Sun Conference Championship game to No. 3 Southeastern University 9-5 on Saturday morning in Clearwater, suffering their first loss of the tournament and falling to 43-8 on the season as the double-elimination format keeps the Seahawks alive. Faith Campos broke the program's single-season stolen base record during the game, swiping her 46th base of the year to surpass the mark she set herself last season, and now sits at 47 stolen bases on the season with the tournament still ongoing. Keiser fought back after falling behind 7-2 after the second inning, scoring twice in the fifth and twice more in the sixth on a Kaci Kidd RBI double and a Lanie Macicek run-scoring single, but could not overcome the early deficit as Southeastern held on for the championship game victory.

Keiser struck first in the bottom of the first, loading the bases when Kaci Kidd singled to center, Faith Campos singled to center, and Genesis Iglesias reached on a fielder's choice that put runners on first and second after a Southeastern error allowed Kaci Kidd to advance to third. Macy Schaaf then singled to right field to score Kidd and Campos, giving Keiser a 2-0 lead. The Seahawks had runners at second and third with one out before Olivia Shoemaker struck out and a fielder's choice by Trinity Rohrer ended the frame with two left on base. The lead was short-lived. Southeastern erupted for seven runs in the second inning off Maggie Miller, sending nine batters to the plate and collecting seven hits, including an RBI double from Ava Planeta, an RBI single from Chloe Baker, an RBI double from Abby Franey, and a two-RBI single from Hailey Bradley, before Presley Wright came on in relief with two outs and runners still on base. Keiser chipped away at the deficit in the fifth when Faith Campos reached on a Southeastern error, was advanced to second on an Iglesias walk, and scored on a Sarah Phipps sacrifice fly to right to make it 7-3. The Seahawks made it a 7-5 game in the sixth when Trinity Rohrer led off with a single to right, Lanie Macicek singled to right to move her to second, and Kaci Kidd drilled a double to left center to score Rohrer. A Southeastern error on a Campos grounder then allowed Macicek to score, pulling Keiser to within two before a Genesis Iglesias strikeout and Macy Schaaf lineout ended the threat. Southeastern added two more in the sixth on an Ella Brooks RBI sacrifice bunt and an RBI double from Raylei McKinney to push the final margin to 9-5.

Presley Wright entered in relief in the second inning and was outstanding the rest of the way, working 5.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts on 90 pitches. Keiser remains alive in the double-elimination tournament, and the if-necessary game was subsequently suspended due to weather with the Seahawks leading 5-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. That game will resume Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m.

Keiser suffers their first loss of the Sun Conference Tournament, falling to No. 3 Southeastern 9-5 in the championship game and dropping to 43-8 on the season. The double-elimination format keeps the Seahawks alive, and the if-necessary game has been suspended due to weather with Keiser leading 5-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning. Play resumes Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
Faith Campos broke the program's single-season stolen base record during the game, stealing her 46th base of the year to surpass the mark of 45 she set herself last season. She finished with two stolen bases in the game and now sits at 47 on the season with the tournament still ongoing.
Keiser opened the scoring in the first inning with two runs on a Macy Schaaf single to right field that scored Kaci Kidd and Faith Campos, who had each reached base on singles to center to start the inning. Schaaf now has 36 RBI on the season.
Maggie Miller started in the circle and allowed seven runs on six hits in 1.2 innings before being lifted in the second inning. She falls to 8-2 on the season. Seven of Southeastern's nine batters reached base safely in the second inning in a frame that fundamentally changed the complexion of the game.
Presley Wright came on in relief with two outs in the second inning and was Keiser's best pitcher on the day, working 5.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts on 90 pitches and 57 strikes. Wright holds a 6-2 record and a 2.30 ERA on the season.
Kaci Kidd went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI on the day, delivering the key hit in the sixth inning when she drove a double to left center to score Trinity Rohrer and pull Keiser within two at 7-4. She is now batting .343 on the season with 30 RBI.
Trinity Rohrer went 2-for-4 with a run scored, singling to right field to lead off the sixth inning and coming around to score on Kidd's double. She is now batting .264 on the season with 22 RBI.
Jordan Brantley went 2-for-3 with a walk and reached base three times without scoring, providing one of Keiser's more consistent individual efforts in a game where opportunities went unrealized. She is now batting .315 on the season.
Lanie Macicek singled to right field in the sixth inning to put runners on first and second for Kidd's double, and scored herself on the subsequent Campos fielder's choice off a Southeastern error to make it 7-5. She is now batting .338 on the season with nine RBI.
Sarah Phipps drew a walk and delivered a sacrifice fly to left in the fifth inning to score Faith Campos and pull Keiser within four at 7-3. She did not record a hit but reached base twice and drove in a run, continuing to contribute through disciplined at-bats. She is now batting .373 on the season with 40 RBI.
Keiser left nine runners on base in the championship game, putting runners in scoring position in multiple frames but going just 2-for-12 with runners on base. The Seahawks were particularly unable to capitalize in the first inning when they had the bases loaded with one out and came away with only two runs.
Southeastern committed three errors in the game, two of which led directly to Keiser runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Fire's seven-run second inning proved insurmountable despite Keiser's persistent efforts throughout the final five innings.

The Seahawks and No. 3 Southeastern will resume the if-necessary game Sunday at 11:00 a.m., picking up in the bottom of the fifth inning with Keiser leading 5-2. A Keiser victory would clinch the Sun Conference Championship.

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