LAKELAND, Fla. - After having the third week of February off, the Fire baseball team prepares for a four game set against northern teams making the trip down south.
Game 17: Southeastern University (16-0, The Sun Conference 6-0) vs. Davenport University (8-5, Wolverine-hoosier Athletic Conference 6-3)
Live Audio
Live Stats
Games 18-20: Southeastern University (16-0, The Sun Conference 6-0) vs. Saint Xavier University (Ill.) (2-4)
Live Audio
Live Stats
National Rankings
- In the preseason coaches poll, the Fire were receiving votes, but that has not stopped the players from breaking into the statistical rankings. Luis Diaz, the native of Miami, Florida leads the NAIA in triples (6) and in runs scored (33). He also ranks second in runs scored per game (2.063), third in total hits (35), and fifth in total bases per game (4.00).
- As a team, the Fire rank in the top 20 of 19 statistical categories. Most impressively, the Fire rank third in all of the NAIA in triples (11) and in stolen bases (59).
- The offense has been producing all season long ranking eighth in all of the NAIA in batting average hitting .367 as a team.
- Good pitching beats good hitting any day of the week, and pitching is just one of the reasons the Fire have been so successful. The Staff combines for 137 strike outs which is good for 13th in all of the NAIA.
Leading By Example
- The upperclassmen on this Fire ballclub have been producing all season long. In the past three games, Diaz has gone 10-13 from the plate which amounts to a .769 average.
- On the slab, junior Adrian Rivera has yet to surrender a earned run in his seven appearances. While doing so, the native of Tampa, Florida has sat down 17 batters.
- Senior, Nate Harmon has been a reliable weekend starter. In 20.1 innings of work, the transfer from Frederick Community College, has recorded a 3.10 ERA and has struck out 23.
- Kade Wagner, a native of Utah, leads the team in strikeouts with 28.
- The bullpen has been rather impressive in the 2017 campaign. John Jaeger is a lockdown piece to the bullpen puzzle. In six appearances, the Sterling College transfer has recorded a save and 13 strikeouts. Opposing hitters remain under the Mendoza Line only hitting .171 off Jaeger.
About the Panthers
- The Panthers are off to a 8-5 this year under the rule of Kevin Tidey.
- Overall, the Panthers are a fairly aggressive team on the basepaths. To this aggressiveness, the Panthers rank 5th in all of the NAIA in total caught stealing (13).
- Jeremy Vasquez leads the Panther offense hitting .333 with 14 hits and 12 runs scored. The senior from Cary, Illinois, leads the team with four stolen bags in six attempts.
- Hitters have been struggling against Krystian Johnson-Batillana in his three starts. The Hamilton, Ontario native has total a 1.80 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 20.0 innings of work.
About the Cougars
- After a 30-26 2016 campaign, the Cougars are off to a less than favorable start in 2017. Falling in four straight games, the Cougars were able to bounce back and sweep Brescia (Ky.) in a double header 9-5 and 13-10 respectfully.
- As a collective group the Cougars are hitting .279 with Alex Neufeld leading the charge tallying a .524 average in 21 at bats.
- Matt Bunetta is also contributing at the plate with a .348 average and a slugging percentage of .435.
- The Cougar pitching staff is not off to the start that they were hoping for. As a group, the Cougars have a combined ERA of 5.54 with opposing hitters racking up a .295 average.
-Tyler Hebel has been a bright spot of this Cougar pitching staff posting a 2.53 ERA and striking out 10 batters in 10 ? innings of work.
Last Time They Met
- In the 2016 campaign Southeastern split a doubleheader with the Panthers, capturing game one 14-8 and falling in a nip-and-tuck affair 6-5.
For updates on the action, follow @SEUFireBaseball on Twitter.
