By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
After steamrolling their way to an 11-1 record, the Southeast of Saline softball team made the trip to Beloit for the most pivotal doubleheader of their 2023 season.
With the NCAA title hanging in the balance, the Lady Trojans fell to Beloit 1-0 in game one, but struck back with a vengeance in game two, securing the split with a run-rule-shortened 13-2 drubbing.
Following this split, SES moves to 12-2 on the season and maintains an excellent chance to lock up at least a share of this year’s league title at 5-1.
The Lady Trojans also collected their ninth mercy-rule win of the campaign and extended their run differential to +145.
Game one of this doubleheader was a pitcher's duel through and through, with neither team recording so much as a run until the bottom of the final frame.
Carly Commerford had things working for the Lady Trojans, striking out nine and walking just one through six innings before turning the ball over to Bryna Baird.
On the other side of the matchup, Chloe Odle was on in the circle for Beloit, and cruised through the Southeast lineup, fanning 12 and allowing just five total runners to reach.
Between the two teams, 16 baserunners would be left stranded until the bottom of the seventh, where Beloit would finally break through, walking off Southeast to take game one 1-0.
Despite dropping just their second game of the season and their first in league play, SES refused to let this result dampen their spirits, and got right to work in game two, scoring their first run of the day in the top of the first.
From there, the purple and white would record four runs in the second, five in the third, two in the fourth, and one more in the fifth to trounce the rival Trojans in a 13-2 rout.
The bats woke up all throughout the Southeast lineup as eight of the nine members of the order drove in at least one run, with all nine recording at least one hit on the day.
In the circle, Lexi Jacobson put on a show once again, allowing just two unearned runs and three total hits, walking one and striking out five.
With just three doubleheaders left in their regular season, Southeast sits just two games back of Beloit in the league standings, with two fewer league games played.
If both teams win out the rest of the way, each will finish 9-1 and the two will split this year’s league title.
The Lady Trojans will be back in action on Tuesday when they make the trip to Minneapolis to battle the Lady Lions.