Baseball Sweeps Gyrenes in Non-Conference Doubleheader

AVE MARIA, Fla.- The No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team bounced back from their first loss of the season with a non-conference doubleheader sweep on the road versus the Ave Maria University Gyrenes Tuesday afternoon. The Fire first came from behind to win the nine-inning contest 6-4 before cruising to an 11-3 win in the seven-inning game that followed.
 
GAME ONE:
 
Senior right-handed pitcher Heath Olive came out and set the tone for Southeastern on the mound, on what was set to be a staff day. Olive tossed two innings of hitless baseball, allowing just one walk and striking out four Gyrenes through the first two innings of play.
 
The Fire struck first in the top of the fourth on an RBI-single through the left side that brought Austin James home. AMU answered with a run in the bottom of the frame to even things up 1-1.
 
Senior infielder hit his first of two home runs on the day in the top of the fifth, a two-run shot to right field that gave SEU the advantage 3-1.
 
Over the next two innings, Ave Maria compiled three unanswered runs to take a 4-3 lead over the Fire.
 
Junior right-handed pitcher Al Pesto entered the contest in the bottom of the sixth with one out and shut the Gyrenes down offensively. Pesto threw 3.2 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief, walking none and striking out four to eventually improve to 3-0 on the season.
 
A sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth by James scored Castellano to tie things up 4-4. The Fire earned the go-ahead run later in the inning when Anthony Carrera laid down a bunt that went for an infield single and scored Raymond Gonzalez to give SEU the 5-4 advantage over AMU.
 
Southeastern tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth, when Castellano doubled home Thomas Broyles to put the Fire ahead 6-4.
 
GAME TWO:
 
The Fire went right to work at the plate in the top of the first inning, getting two runs on Castellano's second home run of the day to put SEU up 2-0. Castellano went 4-5 at the plate in the second game with five runs batted in, totaling eight RBIs at the plate on the doubleheader for SEU.
 
The Gyrenes answered with a two-run homer of their own in the bottom of the first.
 
SEU answered in the top of the second when a bases-loaded hit by pitch brought a run home and later in the inning, Castellano brought two more across on an RBI-single up the middle to push the Fire ahead 5-2.
 
Senior righty Brenden Heiss helped shut things down on the mound for the Fire, striking out four Gyrenes over the second and third frames, allowing one unearned run and just walking one as well. Junior righty Ronnie Voacolo was also successful in relief of Heiss, tossing two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, one walk, and punching out two.
 
The Fire tacked on six runs through fourth through sixth innings, three of which were scored on bases loaded walks. Carrera, James, and Castellano logged RBI singles during that stretch.
 
Jayden Hartle and Bailey Roberson closed out the contest, each striking out two of the three they faced in a scoreless sixth and seventh frame respectively.
 
Up next, Southeastern hosts Florida National University in a Friday doubleheader at Ted A. Broer Stadium. Game times versus the Conquistadors are scheduled for 2:00 and 4:30 p.m.