LAKELAND, Fla. – After dropping its first three game series of the season, the No. 3 Southeastern University baseball team is poised to bounce back this weekend. The Fire lost two out of three in Miami Gardens to the No. 24 St. Thomas University Bobcats this past weekend. A three run blast in the top of the sixth by senior outfielder
Marcus Guzman in game three put the Fire up and helped them avoid being swept. SEU welcomes the No. 16 Keiser University Seahawks to town this weekend for a series that will determine the frontrunner in the race for the Sun Conference regular season title.
GAMES: No. 3 Southeastern (37-5, 15-3 TSC) vs. No. 16 Keiser (29-14, 14-3 TSC) Friday 6:00 p.m. | Saturday 12:00/3:00 p.m.
COVERAGE: Live Stats Video
THE PEN: The bullpen has been an unsung hero for the Fire this season. On the year, SEU relievers are 13-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 120 strikeouts. The Fire are 14-1 in games determined by three runs or less. This is due largely in part to clutch arms like junior righty
Adrian Rivera, who has a 0.86 ERA in 21 innings pitched of relief. The Fire pen is anchored by senior right handed pitcher
John Jaeger. The Sterling transfer is 2-0 on the year with a 1.26 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched. Jaeger earned his conference leading seventh save of the season in the 6-4 win over St. Thomas on Saturday.
PREVIOUSLY KEISER: The Fire lost all four meetings to the Seahawks last season. SEU was swept in the three game regular season series and later suffered its first loss in the TSC tournament to Keiser 14-7.
Luis Diaz batted .353 (6-17) with five runs scored, a home run, and three RBI versus the Seahawks in 2016. Southeastern trails Keiser in the all-time series 16-9.
THE SEAHAWKS: After losing four of its last five, Keiser bounced back with a three game home sweep of Warner this past weekend. Senior outfielder Keivan Berges swung a hot bat for the Seahawks during the series, going 6-12 at the plate with eight runs scored, a homer, and five RBI versus the Royals. Berges is tied for the team lead in long balls on the season with 7. The hottest arm for the Seahawks as of late has been junior right handed pitcher Daniel Garmendia. The Miami native has compiled 22 shutout innings, a 3-0 record, and 18 strikeouts in his last three starts.
Fire Athletics will be hosting an Easter egg hunt at Ted A. Broer Stadium on Saturday between the doubleheader. This celebration of the holiday weekend is for children ages 12 and under, with a separate egg hunt area for three and under.
Be sure to follow @SEUFireBaseball on Twitter for all of the latest updates.
