LAKELAND, Fla. – After splitting a non-conference doubleheader with Florida National, The No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team is preparing for another road Sun Conference series, as the Fire travel to Ave Maria to take on the Ave Maria University Gyrenes in a three-game weekend set. With a sweep of AMU, SEU would post back-to-back 12-0 starts in TSC play.
SERIES INFO:
No. 1 Southeastern (31-4, 9-0 TSC) at Ave Maria (13-21, 5-10 TSC)
Friday 3:00 p.m. | Saturday 12:00/3:00 p.m. | Bowie's Ballpark | Ave Maria, Fla.
COVERAGE: WATCH/LIVE STATS
FIRE FOCUS:
- Southeastern leads the NAIA in Hits per Game (11.9), Runs Scored per Game (10.8), and team batting average (.369).
- The Fire offensive arsenal features 10 hitters who have registered 75 or more at-bats and are batting .330 or better at the plate.
- Senior infielder Dominic Anagnos is belting a team-leading .423. He has appeared on base in all 35 games played for Southeastern this season.
- Junior catcher Colton Onstott has only struck out twice in 97 at-bats on the year.
- Senior infielder Ivan Nunez was named The Sun Conference Player of the Week this past week for the second time this season.
- The Fire have out-scored opposing team's entire nine inning production against them this season by just combining their run total through the first three innings of play (165-117).
- On the mound, the SEU pitching staff ranks second in the NAIA in batters struck out (306), ninth in team ERA (3.20), and 19th in opposing batting average (.230).
- Senior left-handed pitcher Felix Diguez is coming off being named The Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week. Dieguez pitched a gem in the opening game against No. 21 Warner this past Friday, allowing just two hits through seven innings pitched. The Tampa native struck out eight as WU batters hit .091 off of him in the 10-0 run-rule victory.
SOAK UP THE SUN:
- The Fire are 49-8 all time in Sun Conference play under head coach Adrian Dinkel.
- Southeastern has outscored TSC opponents 109-27 this season.
- As an offensive unit, SEU is hitting .373 at the plate with an average of 4.2 extra-base hits per contest in conference play this year.
- On the mound in 2019, Fire arms have compiled a 2.68 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched against TSC opponents.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
- The Fire lead the all-time series versus the Gyrenes 26-8.
- Ave Maria split a non-conference doubleheader this season on Opening Day to hand SEU its first of four losses on the year with a 7-6 win in game two.
THE GYRENES:
- Ave Maria is in the midst of battling to avoid its sixth consecutive losing season.
- The Gyrenes have currently lost seven of their last 10 and have yet to capture more than a single game in a Sun Conference series this season.
- Senior infielder Tully Allen continues to be a steady bat in the Ave Maria lineup, hitting a team-best .364 in Sun Conference play, while also driving in 12 of his clubhouse-leading 17 RBIs in TSC action.
- As a unit, the AMU pitching staff has compiled an 8.67 Earned Run Average in Sun Conference play and has surrendered an average of 2.4 extra-base hits per inning pithed against conference bats.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
SEU
Runs per Game: 10.8
Team Batting Average: .369
Hits per Game: 11.9
Home Runs per Game: 1.8
Stolen Bases per Game: 2
Batters Struck Out per Game: 8.7
Team ERA: 3.20
Opponent Batting Average: .230
Individual Hits Leader:
Manuel Mesa (58)
Individual RBI Leader:
Ivan Nunez (46)
Individual Home Run Leader:
Two Tied (10)
Individual Stolen Bases Leader:
Manuel Mesa (19)
Individual Batters Struck Out Leader:
Jayden Hartle (43)
Individual Wins Leader:
Two Tied (5)
Individual Saves Leader:
Heibert Romero (2)
AMU
Runs per Game: 4.7
Team Batting Average: .262
Hits per Game: 7.9
Home Runs per Game: .6
Stolen Bases per Game: 1.3
Batters Struck Out per Game: 5.2
Team ERA: 7.65
Opponent Batting Average: .342
Individual Hits Leader: Tully Allen (41)
Individual RBI Leader: Tully Allen (17)
Individual Home Run Leader: Andy Hernandez (5)
Individual Stolen Bases Leader: Luis Rodriguez (8)
Individual Batters Struck Out Leader: Noah Christopher (30)
Individual Wins Leader: Five Tied (2)
Individual Saves Leader: Christian Whitlatch (2)
Be sure to follow @SEUFireBaseball on Twitter for all of the latest updates on Fire baseball!
