LAKELAND, Fla. - To open a three-game road series against a top-20 opponent, the USCB softball team fell to No. 20 Southeastern, 7-2 and 11-0, on Friday afternoon at the SEU Softball Field. 

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Addie Reynolds - 1-for-2, double, two RBIs

Devon Weller - 1-for-2, single, run, walk

Jaci Coleman - 1-for-3, single, run

Caitlin Toole - 1.1 innings, two hits, no runs, no walks

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

The Fire opened the scoring early, as they plated five runs in the first and second innings. In that two-inning stretch, SEU collected six hits en route to the five-run lead.

USCB had a chance to plate runs in the third. Francie Gaskin and Coleman reached base in a painful fashion, hit by pitch, but the Sand Sharks couldn't move them around to leave them stranded.

Southeastern tacked on insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the 7-0 advantage.

The Sand Sharks finally found some offensive momentum in the top of the sixth. Coleman poked a single up the middle, and one batter later, Weller walked to put two on base. Reynolds made it hurt with a ringing double to left to make it a 7-2 game. With two outs, USCB was able to force the bases loaded, but they couldn't tack on anymore.

After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, USCB was down to three outs in the seventh. However, it couldn't scratch anymore runs across in the five-run loss. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Coleman - 1-for-3, double

Mackenzie Freeman - 1-for-1, hit by pitch

Gaskin - 1-for-2, single

Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-2, single

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Southeastern took the early lead 1-0 thanks to an unearned run.

USCB nearly tied and took the lead in the second. Reynolds and Freeman started the rally by reaching base safely. After an out, Alte reached on a Fire fielding error. With the bases loaded, Southeastern worked out of the jam without a run to score. 

The Fire then rattled off 10 unanswered runs from the second to fourth inning. 

In the top of the fourth, USCB, again, had a big chance to score. Freeman was hit by a pitch, and Gaskin and Alte poked singles to force ducks on the pond. With two outs, the Fire yet again worked out of the jam without a run to score.

Down 11-0, USCB showed fight in the fifth inning. Coleman doubled to left center and eventually reached third base. However, the Sand Sharks couldn't score. 

The Sand Sharks ended the shortened game with seven runners left on base. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 18-22 overall, 9-11 Sun Conference

No. 20 Southeastern - 35-7 overall, 17-3 Sun Conference

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB and Southeastern conclude the three-game Sun Conference set on Saturday with a lone game. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. at SEU Softball Field.