LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team is trekking forward in a busy spring slate. After sweeping receiving votes Madonna 4-0 last weekend, the Fire prepare to play six non-conference games at Ted A. Broer Stadium this upcoming week.
GAMES:
No. 1 Southeastern (15-2) vs. Spring Arbor (4-10) Tuesday 3:00 p.m. (Seven Innings)
No. 1 Southeastern (15-2) vs. No. 12 Tennessee Wesleyan (15-2) Tuesday 6:00 p.m. (Nine Innings)
No. 1 Southeastern (15-2) vs. No. 12 Tennessee Wesleyan (15-2) Wednesday 3:00 p.m. (Nine Innings)
No. 1 Southeastern (15-2) vs. St. Xavier (4-5) Friday 6:30 p.m. (Nine Innings).
No. 1 Southeastern (15-2) vs. St. Xavier (4-5) Saturday 12:00/3:00 p.m. (Seven Innings)
LIVE COVERAGE: WATCH/LIVE STATS
FIRE FOCUS:
- The Fire lead the NAIA in runs scored, having crossed the plate 193 times thus far. SEU also ranks second in runs batted in per game (9.4), runs scored per game (11.4), and ranks fourth in hits per game (11.5).
- After batting just .167 at the plate with three runs batted in through his first 11 contests, senior outfielder Dan Valerio is belting .647 with eight RBIs over his last six games.
- Senior third baseman Ivan Nunez ranks fourth in the NAIA in doubles (10). Nunez leads the Fire with 21 runs batted in and is slugging a .797 clip. In his first season on the hot corner for SEU, the Miami native has posted a .974 fielding percentage and has recorded 19 putouts.
- On the mound, junior right-handed pitcher Jayden Hurtle has allowed just one extra-base hit in 21 innings compiled for SEU.
- SEU is outscoring opponents 83-30 through the first three innings of play this season.
THE SPRING ARBOR COUGARS:
- Spring Arbor is off to a 1-5 start through the start of the spring portion of its schedule.
- Four of those five spring losses have been by two runs or less.
- The Cougars throw out one runner attempting to steal per contest, which ranks second in the NAIA.
- Senior Duncan Patterson has been doing it all for the Cougars, hitting a team best .480 (12-25) thus far with a team leading 11 runs batted in. On the mound, Patterson is 2-2 in five starts with a 3.41 ERA and has struck out a team-high 28.
THE BULLDOGS:
- Tennessee Wesleyan is off to an impressive 15-2 start of their own, claiming five wins over NAIA ranked or receiving votes opponents.
- The Bulldogs are averaging 1.24 home runs per game, which ranks 10th in the NAIA.
- Senior outfielder Adrian Marquez leads TWC with a .400 batting average and a .591 on-base percentage. Marquez is one of three Bulldogs with four homers.
- On the mound, Tennessee Wesleyan has compiled a 2.72 team ERA through 129 innings pitched and opposing bats are hitting .208 against TWC arms.
THE ST. XAVIER COUGARS:
- St. Xavier will conclude its seven-game trip to Florida with a weekend series versus Southeastern. The Cougars take on Cornerstone and Rochester in doubleheaders in Lakeland.
- Before heading to The Sunshine State, St. Xavier was swept in a three-game series by No. 3 Georgia Gwinnett.
- Junior first baseman Matt Monahan leads the Cougars with eight runs batted in and is hitting .342 at the plate.
- The Cougars have struggled on the mound thus far, compiling a staff ERA of 7.83 and allowing opposing bats to go .325 at the plate against them.
Be sure to follow @SEUFireBaseball on Twitter for all the latest updates on Fire baseball!
