By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Southeast of Saline softball team scored just three runs in their doubleheader with Chapman on Thursday, but it was all they needed to complete a sweep in a pair of pitchers’ duels.
Karlee Zurfluh collected two more wins, did not surrender a single earned run, and completed the first game with her second consecutive no-hitter.
Game 1: SE of Saline 1, Chapman 0
Zurflu’s domination began in her third consecutive outing without allowing a hit, on the heels of a no-hitter against Sacred Heart and a perfect game against Republic County.
The junior allowed just five baserunners in seven innings on a pair of errors and a trio of walks, striking out seven and keeping Chapman off the board entirely.
The lone run of the day came in the third inning, when Mackenzie Retter, pinch running for Paedyn Merrill, came in to score on a Kyiah Samuelson RBI single.
Despite taking the loss Olivia Harold was spectacular in the circle for Chapman, recording 13 strikeouts and holding SES to just four hits without conceding a single walk.
Game 2: SE of Saline 2, Chapman 1
For the first time all season, Zurfluh returned to pitch the second game of the doubleheader, and despite a dicey start, buckled down to secure her second win of the day.
Southeast opened the scoring in the first inning, as Reese Heinrich came in to score on a throwing error to put the Lady Trojans up 1-0.
Chapman capitalized on an SES miscue in the third inning, as Kennedy Scholz reached base on a throwing error and came in to score on a passed ball, evening the tally at one apiece.
Southeast threatened in the fifth on a two-out Hannah Thiel double, but Harold returned in relief to stem the tide and get out of the inning unscathed.
Chapman had opportunities throughout the contest, but had stranded six runners on base, including four in scoring position, as the game entered the bottom of the sixth.
Madelyn McFadden led off the inning with a walk, prompting Retter to re-enter as a pinch runner.
Retter reached second on a sac-bunt and moved up to third on a passed ball before Kyiah Samuelson sent a pitch just deep enough to center field to allow her to score on a sacrifice-fly and deliver Southeast a 2-1 lead.
Zurfluh slammed the door shut in the seventh, striking out two and taking the final groundout herself to secure the sweep.
Overall, Zurfluh tossed 14 innings and allowed just one unearned run on three hits, walked four, and struck out 16.
Kaylee Livingston pitched well for Chapman in the loss, allowing a lone unearned run on a single hit while striking out two and walking just one.
With the sweep, Southeast of Saline improves to 9-1 while Chapman falls to 9-3.
The Lady Trojans are back in action to battle Beloit on Thursday, while the Lady Irish return home to host Concordia on Tuesday.
Both games of this doubleheader are available on-demand any time below.