Box Score LAKELAND, Fla.- The cold weather didn't keep the Southeastern offense from heating up to win both games of their Opening Day doubleheader against Mt. Mercy 6-5 and 9-6.
In the first game, the Fire fell behind 5-3 in the top of the sixth, but they battled back with a RBI double by Stetson McCollin to score Hunter Bonner. With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the seventh, Ricky DeArmas stepped up and drove a double to deep left field to tie the game.
Sean Anderson scored Patrick Kinney in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.
Junior Mike Ruppenthal earned the win, working 2.2 scoreless innings, recording four strikeouts, and didn't allow a hit.
The Fire scored in each inning in the second game, starting in the first when McCollin scored on a throwing error after he stole third base. Luis Diaz drove in Corbin Weeks with a sacrifice fly in the second, and broke the game open in the third with a two-run triple to put the Fire up 5-0. A sacrifice fly in the fourth by T.J. Glessner gave the Fire their sixth run of the game.
The Mustangs made it interesting in the top of the fifth with a three-run inning to make it a 6-5 game. The Fire added two more in the bottom of the fifth, one on a second triple by Diaz, and another on an error.
The final run came across when Bonner scored on an RBI single by Willi Martin.
Clay Rideout earned his first win of the year, throwing 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on three hits, and struck out six. Dylan Jameson, Josh Egert, and Manny Matos combined to throw 2.2 innings of 1-run ball.
DeArmas was 4-for-7 with three runs scored to lead the offense. Weeks was 3-for-6 with two runs scored. Diaz finished the day 3-for-5.
The Fire return to action tomorrow at 6 p.m. when they take on Mt. Mercy.
