Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 4 Southeastern University baseball team fended off a late frenzy from the University of South Carolina Beaufort Sand Sharks, edging USCB 7-6 in the opening game of the weekend series.
The Sand Sharks got on the board first in the contest, bringing one across on the RBI single by Chris Vasquez.
The Fire responded with seven unanswered runs throughout the game. The first game via a solo blast over the left field fence by junior catcher
Torrence Sumerlin that tied things up 1-1. The home run was Sumerlin's first of the season.
SEU got the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth, when a fielding error by the USCB shortstop allowed junior outfielder
Marvin Malone to cross the plate.
Malone contributed to the SEU offensive effort in the bottom of the sixth on a monstrous missile over the center field wall to go up 3-1. The home run was his team leading fourth of the season.
Junior lefty
Jonathan Bermudez turned in another dynamic performance on the mound. Bermudez tossed seven innings, surrendering one lone run, and fanning nine. The Polk State transfer retired eight straight from the top of the fourth and top of the sixth, including striking out five straight during the stretch.
The Fire added four insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Junior outfielder
Dan Valerio doubled one down the left field line that scored
Marcus Stump and Malone.
Ivan Nunez followed that up by tripling home Valerio.
Adam De La Cruz concluded the flurry of scoring by bringing Nunez home on the sacrifice fly to put SEU up 7-1.
USCB nearly completed a remarkable comeback attempt in the top of the ninth. With two outs and a man on second, the Sand Sharks scored five runs on three hits and an error.
The Fire were forced to throw four different pitchers in an attempt to record the final out of the game. Junior
Chase Dreger eventually recorded the final out, earning the save.
"We have to find a way at the end of the game to battle through adversity, get on the mound, and throw strikes…We'll take the win. I think we need to clean some things up before we head into tomorrow," shared head coach
Adrian Dinkel.
SEU is back in action tomorrow versus USCB in a doubleheader. Game times are set for 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.
