By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Southeast of Saline softball team began their campaign with a bang on Thursday, collecting a clean sweep of Smoky Valley to open the new year at 2-0.
SES took the opener 13-3, and game two 10-0, as the Lady Vikings dropped to 0-2 to begin their season.
If there was any offseason rust for Southeast it didn’t show as the Lady Trojans jumped on Smoky Valley for eight hits in game one, with seven different bats in the lineup getting in on the fun.
The pitching was just as good for SES as Lexi Jacobson struck out 11 batters in her season debut, surrendering just three runs on four hits, walking only four.
Game two saw more of the same, but this time, Southeast would not surrender a single run thanks to a dominant day in the circle for Bryna Baird.
The senior starter went the distance, tossing six shutout innings, striking out six, and allowing just four runners to reach base on three hits and a walk.
At the plate, the Lady Trojans backed up their pitcher, bringing in ten runs on 12 hits with a balanced attack throughout the lineup.
Maddie Harris, Brielle Ptacek, Kimber Ogorzolka, and Kiki Riedel all recorded multi-hit games, with Ptacek driving in three runs on as many hits.
Southeast will hit the road for the first of two doubleheaders next week away from home as they take on Republic County at 4:00 next Tuesday in Belleville.