LAKELAND, Fla. – After seeing its program record 23-game winning streak snapped in a non-conference game versus Webber International last Wednesday, the No. 3 Southeastern University baseball team responded with a weekend sweep of third-place Florida Memorial on the road. The Fire improved to 21-0 in Sun Conference play on the season and have outscored TSC opponents on average of 9.7-3.9 per contest. Southeastern now faces its grandest test of the season, as the Fire host No. 4 St. Thomas in a top-five NAIA showdown for first place in the conference standings. This marks the first time in school history an SEU athletic team has hosted a top-five NAIA matchup.
SERIES: No. 3 Southeastern (47-3, 21-0 TSC) vs. No. 5 St. Thomas (43-4, 20-1 TSC)
Friday 6:30 p.m. | Saturday 12:00/3:00 p.m.
COVERAGE: Watch/Live Stats
ALL-TIME SERIES: Friday will mark the 33
rd meeting all-time between the Fire and the Bobcats. Southeastern trails the all-time series 20-12. The average margin of victory in the series has been 4.3. STU leads the all-time series in hits (302-250) and strikeouts (220-178), while SEU holds the edge in home runs (19-7). There have been three extra-inning contests in the series (SEU leads 2-1) with the latest a game has gone being the 11
th. There have only ever been two games played between the two squads without an error. In the Sun Conference era, the record for most combined hits in the series is 35, combined runs is 20, and combined strikeouts is 16. The most individual hits in a game in the series is four, runs batted in is five, and the most strikeouts by a starting pitcher is 10.
MARVEL MALONE: Marvin Malone has been a major contributor in TSC action for the Fire. In Sun Conference contests, Malone is batting .423 in conference play, a more than half-point increase from his season batting average of .367. The Douglas, Wyo. native has 16 runs batted in during his last ten league games, has scored a run in 16 straight, and has reached base in 25 consecutive contests on the season. Malone boasts an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.276 and is producing an average of 14.47 runs per 27 outs this season, both marks which lead all SEU starters.
FEEL THE BERM: Junior left-handed pitcher
Jonathan Bermudez anchors an SEU pitching staff that leads the NAIA in strikeouts (495). Bermudez himself leads the country in opponent batting average (.143), hits allowed per nine (4.46), and wins (12). The Coama, Puerto Rico native is one win away from tying the Southeastern single-season program record and has pitched at least five innings in every nine-inning game started this season. Longevity for SEU starting arms will be crucial, as the Fire are 15-0 on the season when their starting pitcher records seven or more frames of work.
THE BOBCATS: St. Thomas has won 17 straight, 15 consecutive Sun Conference contests, and during that span has defeated TSC opponents by 7.5 run margin. STU features one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, leading the NAIA in hits per game (12.915), team batting average (.372), and total runs batted in (441). One of the top bats for a Bobcats lineup that features six players with 20 or more extra-base hits is senior infielder Jackie Urbaez. The Miami native leads the NAIA in runs scored (67), ranks second in total hits (75) and doubles (20), and is currently riding a 23 game hit streak. STU features a solid ace arm in redshirt-junior righty Orlando Rodriguez. The Havana, Cuba native is the second-winningest pitcher in the country behind Bermudez (10-0) and is averaging 7.4 strikeouts during his last five starts. However, Rodriguez is also averaging 4.2 walks per start during that stretch.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
SEU STU
Runs/Game 8.76 10.38
Team Batting Avg. .329 .372
Home Runs/Game 1.5 1.04
Stolen Bases/Game 2.88 1.74
Team ERA 2.94 3.24
Batters Struck Out/Game 9.9 8.8
Batting Average Leader Valerio (.416) Urbaez (.424)
Home Runs Leader Valerio (15) Mompierre (12)
Hits Leader Valerio (77) Urbaez (75)
Stolen Bases Leader Mesa (29) Tied Three (12)
Strikeouts Leader Bermudez (113) Rodriguez (84)
Saves Leader Romero (5) Valdes (7)
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