LAKELAND, Fla.- On a tumultuous day of baseball at Ted A. Broer Stadium, the No. 1 Southeastern University edged the Columbia International Rams in both games of the Saturday afternoon doubleheader. Senior infielder
Pedro Castellano hit a three-run walk-off homer in game one of the doubleheader to earn SEU the 7-5 victory. In game two, there were a total of four lead changes, as the Fire battled back to defeat the Rams 16-15 to cement the series sweep.
GAME ONE:
The Fire were held scoreless for the first four innings of action as the Rams held a 3-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the fifth. Junior right-handed pitcher
Christian Camacho battled in his first career start for SEU, allowing three runs over five innings, walking one, and striking out eight.
Senior outfielder
Anthony Carrera got the Fire on the board in the bottom of the fifth, driving home
Sam Faith on an RBI single to right-center. SEU knotted things up in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to an RBI groundout by
Enrique Porchas and an RBI single to center field by junior infielder
Sam Faith that brought
Nick Bottari home to tie things up 3-3.
The Rams retaliated in the top of the ninth with two runs to regain the lead 5-3.
After having yet to register an official at-bat throughout the game due to taking three walks and having a sacrifice bunt, Castellano stepped up to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and two runners on. Castellano ambushed the first pitch and sent it sailing over the right field fence for the walk-off home run.
GAME TWO:
Both teams combined to score 31 runs on 22 hits and five total errors.
The Fire pitching staff struggled through the majority of the contest with their command, walking 11 batters on the day.
The SEU offense combined for 10 extra-base hits in the victory.
Senior outfielder
Carter Bridge had a two-home run game. His first long ball was a three-run shot in the bottom of the second inning that put SEU ahead of CIU 6-2. The latter homer came in the bottom of the sixth, a solo blast to center field that brought the Fire to within 12-10 of the Rams.
CIU seemed to earn control of the contest in the top of the seventh, when Joshua Hernandez hit a three-run homer to put the Rams on top 15-11.
However, Castellano would help the Fire have the last word again. In the bottom of the eighth with one out, he blasted another three-run home run to right field again to tie the game 15-15. SEU took the lead later in the inning when a wild pitch allowed Carrera to score.
Exactly a year to the date from having season-ending ACL surgery, sophomore right-handed pitcher
Jack Wolgast made his return to the mound to close things out for Southeastern. Wolgast was fantastic for the Fire, tossing two and a third innings of relief, allowing two hits, no runs, one walk, and six strikeouts. The Niceville, Fla. native earned his first career win at Southeastern.
The Fire return to action next Friday in Mobile, Alabama, as they are set to take on RV Point University and No. 20 University of Mobile back-to-back. Game times are to be announced.
