Box Score LAKELAND, FLA.– It wasn't the weekend the Fire hoped for, but they were able to salvage the last game. SEU had the opportunity to take both games of the doubleheader vs. St Thomas, but came away with only one. In the first game, the Fire lost 9-8, and the final game 8-2. With the Saturday split, Southeastern now stands at 7-4 in Sun Conference play and 18-8 overall.
The first game of the day for the Fire ended in heartbreaking fashion. After storming ahead to take a two run lead in the ninth inning, the bullpen failed to hold the Bobcats in the bottom of the frame. Jordan Gard started on the hill and wasn't in top form; he lasted only 1.2 innings, giving up seven runs, five earned runs, walking two, and striking out only one. Chase Hunt pitched two scoreless innings after Gard, and Mike Ruppenthal threw up zeroes in his 2.1 innings of work. FT Corso was impressive out of the bullpen as well, pitching two scoreless innings and giving up no hits or runs. Dylan Jameson (1-1) couldn't close the door in the ninth, as he managed to get only one out before giving up the three game-winning runs.
Southeastern struck for three runs in the second. Willi Martin led off the frame with his second homer of the season. Sean Anderson singled and Cody Hoffner walked to set the table for a big inning; Stetson McCollin was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. TJ Glessner drove in a run with a bases loaded walk, and Connor Oliveri plated another with a sacrifice fly.
The Fire struck for two more in the next inning; Martin started things off again, and this time he reached base on a HBP. Anderson smacked his second double of the season to put runners in scoring position with no outs. Hoffner drove in Martin with an RBI groundout, and Anderson scored on an error.
SEU trailed 6-5 going into the last inning. Luis Diaz and Martin started things off with singles; they both came around to score on errors. Aaron Sheaks drove in another run with a single to make the score 8-6 in favor of the Fire going into the last frame. Jameson, going for his second save of the season, wasn't able to close the game; he gave up three runs with two of them being earned.
Martin finished 4-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Anderson went 2-5 with a run scored; Glessner stole a base as well.
With the Fire dropping the first two games of the three game series, they weren't about to get swept. They came back with a vengeance in the final game, recording 14 hits and winning 8-2.
Hunter Simpson led the offense, going 3-5 with four RBI's. Sheaks went 3-4 with two runs scored and stolen base, and Anderson went 3-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
The Fire loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with a Martin walk and singles by Sheaks and Anderson. Aldo Ferrante drove in a run with a bases loaded walk, and Simpson drove in another three runs with a hit of his own to make it a 4-1 lead.
Simpson drove in Sheaks–his fourth RBI of the day–in the eighth inning with a single to give the Fire a 5-2 lead. In the ninth, they struck for three more runs. Stetson McCollin reached on an error and scored on a double by Luis Diaz; Diaz came around to score on a single by Anderson and Patrick Kinney–pinch running for Martin–scored on a single by Ferrante.
Clay Rideout (4-0) earned the win on the mound, going 5.2 innings, giving up seven hits and two earned runs. Brandon Goff pitched a solid two innings of relief, giving up no hits or runs. Cole Yoder worked the final 1.1 innings, giving up no hits or runs.
SEU is back in action Tuesday afternoon, as they'll host the Spring Arbor University Cougars. First pitch is set for 6pm at Broer Stadium.
