Box Score DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—In the first game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round, the Fire of Southeastern suffered a 10-4 loss to the University of Rio Grande 10-4.
The Fire (38-20) struggled to string hits together against starting pitcher Trent Downs, who allowed three earned runs in eight innings of work. Downs struck out six and issued just one walk.
The Redstorm (33-20) picked up three runs in the second inning, scoring two on an error, and picking up the third on a single to center field. They added two more in the third on a double down the left field line to take a 5-0 lead.
The advantage grew to eight in the fourth on a three-run homer by Kirk Yates. Southeastern got its first hit of the game in the bottom half of the inning on an infield single by Josiel Colon. Luis Diaz followed with a hit to left center, and Sean Anderson brought in Colon with an RBI single to right field.
Rio Grande answered back with a run of its own in the top of the fifth on back-to-back doubles.
The best chance for the Fire was in the seventh, when they got a leadoff single from Diaz, which was followed by a single to short by Anderson. Diaz scored on a RBI single by Stetson McCollin to make it 9-2. With two outs and runners on second and third, Daniel Acevedo's at bat was halted due to lightning, forcing a 50-minute delay.
When play resumed, the sophomore drove a pitch passed the shortstop to score Anderson. McCollin also was able to score on an error to make it a 9-4 contest.
Again, the Redstorm answered with a run in the next half inning on a two-out single to left-center by Kyle Findley.
Patrick Kinney suffered the loss, dropping to 8-5 on the year after working 3.1 innings. The senior surrendered five earned runs on five hits, walked four and struck out three.
The Fire are back in action tomorrow at 10 a.m. against the loser of the Embry-Riddle vs. Bryan game.
