Box Score LAKELAND, Fla.—After picking up a 3-1 win over Webber in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Fire pitching staff issued 13 walks in an extra inning 9-7 loss to the Warriors.
In the second game, the Fire built a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer by Willi Martin in the bottom of the fourth. The Warriors responded with their only two runs off of starting pitcher Clay Rideout, who worked six innings plus two batters, striking out six, and walking four.
The Fire answered with a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Aaron Sheaks, and a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Ricky DeArmas.
In the eighth inning, the Warriors scored three runs on three hits, and also got the benefit of three walks. The Fire were able to respond with here runs without a hit. They used two walks, an error, a hit by pitch, and a sacrifice fly to take a 7-5 lead heading to the top of the ninth.
With two outs and the bases loaded, an RBI single to left scored two runs to knot the game at seven. The Fire went in order in the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
In the 10th, the Warriors picked up two runs without a hit, benefiting from four walks and a sacrifice fly. The Fire got a single baserunner in the 10th on a 2-out walk to T.J. Glessner, but was left stranded on a strikeout to end the game.
Game 1 went the way of the Fire as starting pitcher Jordan Gard went five strong innings, surrendering five hits, and just one run. Gard struck out five batters, and walked two others. Brandon Goff, Josh Egert, F.T. Corso and Dylan Jameson combined to throw the final four frames, and allowed just one hit. Goff earned the win to improve to 2-2 on the year, working an inning and two-thirds scoreless.
At the plate, the Fire got the scoring started in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run by Connor Oliveri. The Warriors tied the game in the top of the sixth, but the Fire added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Sean Anderson scored on a single by DeArmas. SEU added an insurance run in the eighth on a dropped pop up to center field, allowing Patrick Kinney to score.
Martin had the hot bat for the Fire, finishing the day 5-for-8 with a pair of RBIs. Glessner was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and stole three of SEU's eight bases on the day.
SEU returns to action on Tuesday when they host Mt. Vernon Nazarene at 6 p.m.
