By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Southeast of Saline softball team dominated Sacred Heart in a sweep on Tuesday evening, winning both games before the fifth inning by a combined score of 30-0.
Game 1: SE of Saline 15, Sacred Heart 0
The opener of this two-game set was over after just three innings, and saw Karlee Zurfluh follow a shortened perfect game with a shortened no-hitter.
Zurfluh faced ten batters and retired all but one of them with a strikeout, walking one, and refusing to allow a single ball to be put into play.
Offensively, the Lady Trojan bats were lively from the jump, plating three runs in the first, five in the second and seven in the third to wrap up a run-rule victory.
Eight of Southeast’s nine bats in the lineup reached base two or more times and scored at least one run.
Anabelle Soell went 3 for 3 at the plate, driving in three runs with as many hits, Kyiah Samuelson scored a pair on an inside-the-park home run, and Reese Heinrich reached base four times in as many plate appearances, driving in the game-clinching runs on a 2-RBI double in the third.
Zurfluh improves to 4-0 in the circle and now has 27 strikeouts to just 5 walks to go with her still-perfect ERA.
Game 2: SE of Saline 15, Sacred Heart 0
The nightcap of this two-game set unfolded in a different manner but achieved the same result, as the Lady Trojan bats dominated, and Southeast tightened things up in the field.
Sacred Heart threatened, but stranded five runners throughout the game, unable to scratch anything across against the stellar Hannah Thiel.
Thiel completed her shutout, surrendering just two hits and three walks on a night where she fanned eight batters.
At the plate, the Lady Trojans continued their march, rattling off 15 runs on 16 hits, with eight of the nine spots in the order reaching base, and six plating two or more runs.
Anabelle Soell finished her day a perfect 6-6, adding two more singles, another double and four RBI in the days second contest.
Reese Heinrich reached base in all eight of her plate appearances across the doubleheader, adding two hits, four runs, and three more stolen bases in the nightcap.
Unbelievably, Kyiah Samuelson had a second inside-the-park home run in store on the day, scampering home after driving in Heinrich to open the scoring in the bottom of the first.
With this sweep, Southeast improves to 7-1 while Sacred Heart falls to 5-4.
The Lady Trojans are back in action on Thursday as they host the Chapman Lady Irish. Sacred Heart returns to league play on Friday as they travel to battle Republic County.
Both games of this doubleheader are available on-demand any time below.