LAKELAND, Fla. - After rallying to tie the game in the top of the seventh, the magic ran out for the College of Coastal Georgia softball team as they fell to the Southeastern Fire by a final of 4-3 on Saturday afternoon. 

The Fire (22-5, 4-2 SUN) gave up their three run lead in the top of the seventh inning of game three, and desperate not to be swept by the Mariners (20-8, 5-3 SUN), Southeastern used a late inning error to score the winning run and salvage game three of the series.

After holding the Mariners off the board in the first inning, Southeastern took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half using a pair of singles, a stolen base, and a sac fly as the Fire took their lead into the second. 

After the first inning, it was all Southeastern through the sixth inning as Zelenka held the Mariners to just three hits over the first six innings, and with her offense holding strong and adding runs in the third and sixth innings, the writing on the wall seemed like the Fire were cruising to a game three win.

In the seventh, the Mariners completely flipped the script and fought their way right back into the ball game. Ella Romano started the inning for CCGA with a pinch hit double, and was immediately followed by McKenzie Collins who sent a bomb out of right center field to put the Mariners on the board and make the score 3-2. After two straight flyouts, all hoped seemed loss until Emma Jones kept the inning alive for CCGA, beating out an infield single. Alyssa Haggerty was tabbed to pinch run for Jones and stole second to put her in prime position to score on a base hit. With Kaitlyn Carolino in the box and Eden Playa now in the game trying to end it, the freshman delivered the biggest hit of her young career, a single up the middle, that scored Haggerty and tied the game at three. Carolino then stole second and advanced to third on another single from Brooke Perdue, but Rylee Mills could not answer the bell as she flew out to left field to end the inning, giving SEU a chance to end the game in the seventh and ruin a comeback for the ages. 

The Fire wasted no time getting runners on base, using a single, a walk, and a fielder's choice to load the bases with one out, but CCGA seemed to be in the drivers seat after getting the second out at home. Still with the bases loaded, Moore hit a hard line drive at Collins in the circle, and as the ball kicked off her glove to the right she lost the handle trying to retrieve the ball as Moore beat the throw to allow the winning run to score and give the Fire a 4-3 win in game three of the series.

Carolino finished 3-4 from the plate with an RBI while Perdue and Jones both went 2-3. 

CCGA will look to rebound quickly as they return to host the Savannah State Tigers for a double header on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.