BEAUFORT, S.C. – In thrilling comeback fashion, the RV Southeastern University baseball team defeated the No. 18 University of South Carolina Beaufort Sand Sharks 8-5 in their Sun Conference opener and the first game of a weekend series.
The Fire found themselves in unfamiliar territory Friday afternoon, as they trailed 4-0 after three innings. This was the first time SEU faced a deficit in 2017. The Sand Sharks scored three of their four runs off a pair of long balls to take the early lead.
However, the Fire began to chip away at the USCB lead in the top of the fourth, as senior infielder
Alex Stephens crossed home on a passed ball. Southeastern brought another across in the top of the fifth on a double to center field by junior infielder
De'John Suber that scored
Angel Garced and cut the Sand Shark lead to 4-2.
The SEU comeback was cemented in the next frame, as Stephens cranked a two run homer over the left field fence to tie things up 4-4. The dinger was his second on the year.
A misplayed Suber bunt by the USCB pitcher later in the inning brought home
Mike D'Acunti and gave the Fire the go ahead run 5-4. The Sand Sharks quickly knotted things back up in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run from Bobby Wenthe.
The relief pitching of senior righty
John Jaeger was pivotal to the Fire staying in the game. The Sterling College transfer came in during the bottom of the fifth and pitched three and two thirds of shutout baseball, in which he only surrendered one hit and struck out four. The performance earned him his first win of the season.
The stellar pitching from Jaeger bided time for the Fire bats to string together some runs in the top of the ninth. SEU earned the go ahead run on a sacrifice fly from D'Acunti that scored
Luis Diaz.
Southeastern then added two more insurance runs. The first was off a wild pitch that allowed
Marcus Stump to cross home. The final run of the inning was scored off a sac fly from senior outfielder
Danny Acevedo that brought in Stephens.
The Fire will look to sweep the series as they face off with the Sand Sharks in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon. Game times are set for 12:00 and 3:30 p.m.
