Fire Power at the Plate Vaults SEU to Series Sweep of Vikings

LAKELAND, Fla.- On a day where the Fire bats belted eight home runs, the No. 4 Southeastern University baseball team cruised to a doubleheader and series sweep of the Grand View University Vikings. SEU took game one 14-4 before earning a 13-2 victory in the series finale.

"Offensively we scored a lot of runs but I know there is a lot more in the take," shared SEU head coach Adrian Dinkel. "We rotate a lot of different lineups because we know we have 12-13 guys we know can hit."

GAME ONE:

The Fire jumped out on the Vikings with seven unanswered runs to open up the contest.

Senior outfielder Zach Cornell began a prolific day at the plate with an RBI triple in the bottom of the first that scored Cristian Martin and put the Fire ahead 1-0.
The Fire found a power surge in the bottom of the second frame, as three different players left the ballpark with their swings.

First, Martin belted his first of two home runs on the day to put SEU ahead 5-0. Then, senior infielder Pedro Castellano made it back-to-back dingers as he made it 6-0 Fire with a solo jack. Senior outfielder Abdel Guadalupe capped off the big inning with a solo homer that towered over the left field wall to make it 7-0.

After the Vikings got three across in the top of the third, junior catcher Luis Cabrera hit his second homer of the season, a solo blast to center field in the bottom half of the frame.

Cornell pushed his RBI total to four with a two-RBI double later in the frame, and an RBI-double in the bottom of the fifth to put the Fire ahead of the Vikings 11-4.
Between both games today, Cornell was 6-10 with five runs batted in and four runs scored.

"The big thing for me is just focusing on slapping singles over shortstop," shared Cornell. "Once I get comfortable at the plate I know big things will happen for me."

Senior utility man Colton Onstott capped of the display of power in game one with his first homer of the season, a belted ball to center field that put SEU up 14-4.

Junior right-handed pitcher Brayan Garcia earned his first win of the season, going four innings, allowing four runs, walking two, and striking out two. The duo of senior right-handed arms Marc Soto and Jayden Hartle combined for three innings of shutout relief to close things out for the Fire, striking out four total Vikings.
GAME TWO:

Grand View struck first in the top of the third with a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead.

After getting one back on a balk in the bottom of the third, SEU took the lead in the bottom of the fourth after RBI base knocks from Castellano and senior catcher Benito Varela put the Fire ahead 3-2.

Martin smashed his second homer of the day later in the frame, a two-run shot to left that put the Fire ahead 5-2.

Onstott hit his second homer of the day, a two-run zinger to center that put the Fire ahead 9-2.

Junior infielder Nolan Machibroda finished the scoring for SEU with a three-run home run to right field that put Southeastern up 13-2.

Junior righty Brenden Heiss looked much more comfortable on the mound, tossing five strong innings where he allowed two runs scored, walked two, and struck out eight. Heiss went on to earn the winning decision.

Cornell was a perfect 3-3 on stolen bases in game two of the doubleheader.

Senior lefty Ryan Munoz and junior righty Ronnie Voacolo combined to toss two frames of no-hit baseball in relief.

Up next, the Fire head to Jacksonville on Tuesday to take on the Edward Waters College Tigers in a non-conference doubleheader. Game times are set for 2:00 and 4:30 p.m.