2022 Southeastern Baseball Schedule Released

LAKELAND, Fla.- The 2022 Southeastern University baseball schedule has been released. The upcoming slate features a total of 54 countable contests, including a 24-game Sun Conference schedule. SEU will also take on the Major League Baseball Detroit Tigers in a Spring Training Exhibition for the third time in four years.
 
SEU is coming off a 51-9 2021 campaign, the program's fourth-straight full season with 50 or more wins under head coach Adrian Dinkel. In 2021, SEU became the first team to sweep both The Sun Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships since 2013.
 
Additionally, the Fire baseball program both hosted and swept the NAIA National Championship Opening Round Lakeland Bracket at Chain O' Lakes Complex, punching their third-straight trip to the Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, where the Fire finished sixth.
 
The Fire open the 2022 season at Ted A. Broer Stadium in Lakeland when they host Columbia International University (38-26). January 28-29. SEU swept CIU in a three-game home series to open last season. On February 2, SEU hosts the University of Ft. Lauderdale, a first-year program, for a doubleheader.
 
SEU heads to Dayton, Tennessee February 4-5 to take on Freed-Hardeman University (28-25) and Bryan College (37-18) two times each. FHU advanced to the NAIA Opening Round last season and the Fire took three of four from them in a home series this past spring. Bryan competed in the NAIA Opening Round Lakeland Bracket, which Southeastern hosted. However, BC and SEU did not play each other in the tournament.
 
After traveling to Ave Maria University (16-32) on February 8 to take on the Gyrenes in a single non-conference contest, the Fire head to Sterlington, Louisiana February 11-12 to participate in the Cajun Collision for four games. Opponents for the Fire are to be determined; however, the invitational typically features many of the premier programs in the NAIA.
 
"Going on the road early for back-to-back weeks to Bryan and the Cajun Collision to square up with most likely eight ranked opponents and a few world series teams Is great early challenge to see where this team stands," commented SEU head coach Adrian Dinkel.
 
Southeastern opens Sun Conference play at Ted A. Broer Stadium on February 18-19 in a three-game series against the University of South Carolina Beaufort (32-23). The Fire played the Sand Sharks an astounding seven times last season, including three in the postseason. The Fire took five of seven from USCB, including one in the NAIA Opening Round Lakeland Bracket.
 
The Fire return to non-conference play on February 22 with a doubleheader at home versus Florida National University (11-27).
 
With much excitement and anticipation, Southeastern is set to resume its Spring Training exhibition relationship with the Major League Baseball Detroit Tigers on Friday February 25 at 1:05 p.m. The Fire and the Tigers did not face off last season due to the pandemic, however, Southeastern and Detroit played a competitive contest in 2020 where the Tigers walked off on the Fire 5-4 in front of 4,764 fans.
 
"We are thrilled the game is back on and we will be kicking off Spring Training this year," shared Southeastern Director of Athletics Drew Watson. "Our relationship with the Tigers is important to us and I want to thank Mr. Illich, Ron Myers and Zach Burek for their commitment to our program. We are excited to fill the stadium and bring that Southeastern energy to Publix Field again in 2022."
 
From March 6-16, SEU is slated to host 11 non-conference contests versus six different programs. The busy stretch begins March 6-7 with a three-game series versus Indiana Tech (35-27), who was one win away from a trip to the World Series last season. The Fire also compete against University of St. Francis (Ill.) (24-20) on March 8, Calumet College of St. Joseph (9-40) on March 9, Madonna University (19-15) on March 10, a doubleheader with NAIA Opening Round team University of Saint Xavier (35-27) on March 12, and a three-game series against Saint Ambrose University (27-23) March 15-16.
 
Southeastern resumes Sun Conference play with a trip to Thomasville for a series with Thomas University (19-29) March 18-19. The following Tuesday, SEU hosts Keiser University (37-18) for a single non-conference game. The Seahawks advanced to the World Series with the Fire last season. March 25-26, the Fire host cross-county rival Warner University (33-23) for a three-game set. Warner was one of the five teams from the SUN to advance to the NAIA Opening Round last year.
 
"We really wanted to challenge ourselves outside of conference to prepare us for conference play," stated Coach Dinkel. "We play in the best conference in the country. We had five teams and could of very well could of had six in the national tournament last year, which just shows the quality of opponents we are taking haymakers from weekly."
 
On April 1-2, the Fire will be in Babson Park to take on Webber International University (28-24) for three contests. April 8-9, SEU hosts St. Thomas University (34-21) for another weekend series. The Bobcats were another NAIA Opening Round team out of the SUN in 2021. April 15-16, the Fire face Keiser for a conference series in West Palm Beach.
 
SEU hosts its second non-conference doubleheader versus Florida National on April 19.
 
April 22-23, SEU will be in Miami Gardens for a weekend date with Florida Memorial University (15-25). The Fire round out the regular season at home versus Ave Maria University April 29-30.
 
The 2022 Sun Conference Tournament is slated to take place May 2-5 at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
 
The 2022 NAIA Opening Round will occur May 13-16 at campus sites.
 
The 2022 Avista-NAIA World Series will remain in Lewiston, Idaho and will run from May 24-May 31.