Baseball Opens TSC Play at Home with Thomas

LAKELAND, Fla.- After an undefeated start through seven non-conference contests, the No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team sets their sight on Sun Conference play. SEU opens up TSC action with a three-game series against the Thomas University Night Hawks, hosting Thomas for a single game this evening and a doubleheader on Friday.
 
GAMES:

Thursday | 6:30 p.m. | Ted A. Broer Stadium | Lakeland, Fla.
 
Friday | 1:00/4:00 p.m. | Ted A. Broer Stadium | Lakeland, Fla.
 
COVERAGE:
 
WATCH    LIVE STATS
 
FIRE FOCUS:

• Offensively, the Fire find themselves in the upper echelon of production at the national level, ranking fifth in the NAIA in doubles (20), eighth in runs batted in (64), ninth in total hits (80), and ninth in total runs scored (73).
• Senior infielder and NAIA Preseason All-American Sam Faith has turned in a solid start to the 2021 campaign, hitting .500 (11-22) with two doubles, a home run, and 10 runs batted in.
• Six different players have homered through the first seven games of the season.
• On the mound, the SEU pitching staff ranks seventh in the NAIA in total batters struck out, having fanned 83 batters in 56 innings tossed.
• Junior right-handed pitcher Drew Gillespie will get the start for SEU tonight in the TSC opener versus the Night Hawks. Gillespie has yet to earn a decision in two appearances, but has also yet to allow an earned run, striking out 12 in 7.1 innings tossed and allowing opposing bats to hit just .083.

 
ALL-TIME SERIES:

• The Fire lead the all-time series versus the Night Hawks 30-15, however SEU has won 14 of the last 15 versus TU.
• Thomas was one of the few Sun Conference teams Southeastern got to face in 2020. The Fire swept all three contests in Thomasville, outscoring the Night Hawks 36-13.
• Pedro Castellano had two home runs in the series last season.

 
THE NIGHT HAWKS:

• Thomas finished the shortened 2020 campaign 10-15 and are off to an 0-3 start after being swept in their season opening series on the road to Middle Georgia State. The Night Hawks were outscored 36-8 in the weekend series.
• Redshirt-junior outfielder Victor Terrero was a bright spot at the plate for Thomas, hitting .500 (4-8) on the weekend with a double, triple, and two home runs.
• Redshirt senior infielder Jake Bryan is another key bat to watch. Bryan is a career .318 hitter with 19 doubles and 20 home runs in his career for Thomas.
• On the mound, redshirt right-handed senior pitcher Patrick Haley is the key arm to watch. Haley tossed five shutout innings versus Middle Georgia State on opening weekend and finished Top-10 in The Sun Conference last season in strikeouts per game (8.41).