Fire Soar Past Night Hawks in Doubleheader Dominance

LAKELAND, Fla.- The No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team asserted why they were tabbed the top team in their conference and in the country on Friday, as they took both games of an afternoon doubleheader over the Thomas University Night Hawks to sweep the Sun Conference-opening series. The Fire 10-run ruled the Night Hawks in both contests, taking game one 13-2 before closing out the series 12-2 in the finale. All in all, SEU outscored TU 33-4 over the three-game stretch.
 
GAME ONE:
 
The Night Hawks got on the board first in the top of the first frame, scoring two runs on one hit and an error.
 
After conceding the opening two runs of the contest, senior right-handed pitcher Christian Camacho settled in nicely for the Fire. Camacho went on to toss five scoreless innings, notched six of his seven strikeouts during that stretch, and retired the last seven Night Hawks he faced.
Thomas was 0-10 at the plate with runners on versus Camacho on the night. Camacho improved to 2-0 on the season with the win.
 
"I got comfortable and started relaxing and trusting my defense more," shared Camacho. "We just got on a roll trusting the game plan. We were able to compete and slow everything down."
 
At the plate, the Fire scored five runs in the bottom of the second to retaliate to the Night Hawks advantage. The big inning was capped off by a three-run home run by Colton Onstott, his first long ball of the season, to put SEU ahead 5-2.
 
Senior first baseman Nick Bottari had his second consecutive multi-homer game, belting a two-run homer to left center in the bottom of the third that put Southeastern up 7-2, as well as a solo line drive over the right field wall in the bottom of the fifth that gave SEU a 9-2 advantage.
 
Sam Faith was 3-3 in game one and turned in his second consecutive contest hitting a triple.
 
Senior righty Jayden Hartle closed out the game in the top of the seventh with a scoreless frame, striking out one.
 
GAME TWO:

Southeastern leaped out to a 7-0 lead quickly, scoring all seven runs in the bottom of the first inning on six hits. Pedro Castellano launched a three-run bomb, while Thomas Broyles and Austin James had back-to-back solo shots.
 
Faith had a monstrous game at the plate, going a perfect 4-4 at the plate with three-home runs, including one in the bottom of the seventh with two outs that 10-run ruled the Night Hawks 12-2.
 
"I hit a couple different pitches out," commented Faith. "I was feeling good at the plate and was rolling so I was looking for anything inside the zone."
 
Junior righty Zach Rice improved to 2-0 this season after going four innings, allowing five hits, one earned run, two walks, and recording six punch-outs.
 
SEU got solid one-inning relief efforts from Damien Torres, D.J. Roberts, and Al Pesto, who each struck out two or more in their frame. Roberts struck out the side in the top of the sixth.
 
The Fire return to action this upcoming Tuesday at Ted A. Broer Stadium, when they host the Edward Waters College Tigers in an afternoon doubleheader. Game times are scheduled for 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.