LAKELAND, Fla.—The Southeastern University baseball team took both games of today's doubleheader against Indiana Wesleyan to move to 5-0 on the season.
Nick Bottari hit a walk-off home run to give the Fire the 7-6 win in game one.
Bryce Mulcahy followed it up with an impressive performance of his own as he struck out a career-high 14 batters in game two to help his team earn the 5-0 win.
GAME ONE:
Drew Gillespie and Jon Young found themselves in a pitcher's duel in the early going of this one as both teams were scoreless through three innings. Shortstop
Austin James got the Fire on the board with an RBI single that scored
Sam Faith in their half of the fourth.
The Wildcats later tied the game with two runs in the top of the sixth before the Fire tallied four in their half of the inning. Southeastern took advantage of costly errors and wild pitches by IWU to take the 6-2 advantage.
Gillespie's final line included five innings pitched, eight strikeouts, two walks, and just one hit.
IWU was able to get four runs across in the top of the eighth, setting the stage for Bottari's homer in the ninth.
"I knew I had a chance to help the team out and get a win so that's what I did," said Bottari.
GAME TWO:
It didn't take Mulcahy very long to find his rhythm on the mound as he struck out the side in the top of the first, and eight of the first nine batters he faced.
He was able to settle in after his offense scored two runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a two RBI double from
Colton Onstott.
Mulcahy ended his night strong as well. After giving up a walk and a single, he recorded two strikeouts to turn away the Wildcat threat in the sixth.
Head coach
Adrian Dinkel commented on the performance of his two starters, "Bryce did a heck of a job in game two, and Drew [Gillespie] came out of the gate and set the tempo early got a lot of things going for our pitching staff."
The two teams face each other again tomorrow in a doubleheader scheduled to start at 11:00 am.
