Box Score LAKE WALES, Fla.—The ups and downs of the 2015 season continued for the Fire baseball team, bouncing back with a 12-2 win in seven innings, after dropping the first game of a doubleheader 5-4 to Warner University.
The Royals (12-14, 4-11 TSC) used a three-run first inning in which they batted around and recorded four hits, and a walk to build and sustain a game-long advantage.
Southeastern (25-14, 11-8 TSC) slowly clawed its way back into the game, getting a two-out solo home run from Luis Diaz in the second inning, then picked up a run in the eighth on an RBI double to left by Jose Povea.
The best chance for the Fire came in the eighth with bases-loaded and two outs, but a fly out to left field by Aldo Ferrante ended the threat. The Royals added an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI double.
It would come in handy as Willi Martin hit a two-run home run well beyond the left-center field wall to bring the Fire within a run in the top of the ninth, but a groundout to third in the next at bat ended the game.
The SEU bullpen worked three innings of one-hit ball in relief of starter Patrick Kinney, who fell to 5-3 on the season after giving up four runs on six hits. Kinney walked five and struck out three.
The bats woke up in the second game, as the Fire recorded 12 runs on 13 hits. Leading 2-0 after RBI singles by Cody Hoffner and Ricky DeArmas in the third, the guests recorded four runs in the sixth, and six in the seventh to put the game away.
Hoffner led off the sixth with a triple, then scored on a wild pitch. DeArmas then followed with his first career home run to make it a 4-0 lead. A two-run single by Josiel Colon scored Hunter Bonner and Stetson McCollin to give the Fire a six-run lead.
A double by Hoffner turned into a run on a single by DeArmas in the seventh. Ferrante was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in a run as well. In his first game back following an injury, Hunter Simpson hit a two-run double to right field to score Aaron Sheaks and Sean Anderson to put the Fire up 11-0. Colon added the 12th run on an RBI single.
Clay Rideout improved to 5-1 on the season, working six innings of five-hit shutout ball. The senior allowed four walks, struck out three, and coaxed 11 groundouts among the 27 batters he faced.
The two teams will take the field again on Monday for the series finale at 3:30 p.m.
