MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The No. 3 Southeastern University baseball team split an afternoon doubleheader with the No. 24 St. Thomas University Bobcats. The Fire fell 8-2 in the first game before bouncing back to take the series finale 6-4. This marked the first conference series loss for SEU on the season.
Defensive miscues plagued the Fire in game one. SEU committed five errors in which five of the Bobcats' eight runs were scored on.
After trailing 3-0 after two innings,
Derek Martin continued to swing a hot bat, singling home
Marcus Stump. The Fire added another on a wild throw following the single by the STU right fielder which cut the deficit to 3-2.
However, the Fire committed three defensive miscues in the bottom of the fourth that allowed the Bobcats to score four runs and jump out to a commanding 7-2 lead.
SEU got on the board first in game two, as
Jadan Garcia singled home
Marcus Guzman in the top of the second to put the Fire up 1-0. Garcia was 4-5 at the plate between the two games with three walks drawn.
STU answered in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single and another run scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch to even things up 2-2.
The Bobcats clawed across a run in the bottom of the third and fifth each to take their first lead of the game 4-2.
Then came the top of the sixth. After back to back singles by Martin and
Luke Maher, Guzman took St. Thomas starter Chris Rodriguez deep over the left field fence with a shot that put the Fire up 6-4.
Senior relief pitcher
John Jaeger closed out the game with complete dominance. Jaeger threw two and two thirds scoreless, allowing just one hit and striking out two to earn his seventh save of the season.
Senior righty
Nate Harmon was steady on the mound in his start for Southeastern. The Manassas, Va. native tossed five and two thirds, allowed two earned runs, walked just one, and punched out six. Harmon sat the Bobcats down in order three times in the outing.
The Fire will return home for another marquee conference series, as they host the No. 16 Keiser University Seahawks. The first game of the weekend series is set for next Friday at 6:00 p.m.
