LAKELAND, Fla.- After opening the 2022 season with a three-game sweep of receiving votes Columbia International, the No. 3 ranked Southeastern University baseball team will open up week two with a home doubleheader on Wednesday against the University of Fort Lauderdale at 2 and 5 p.m. The Fire will then host the No. 21 Reinhardt University Eagles in a three game series played out over Thursday-Saturday.
The NCCAA Eagles of Fort Lauderdale come into the weekday series with a 4-3 record after a 2-1 series win against Trinity Baptist College including a 10-9 win in extra innings. Through seven games, the Eagles have posted a team batting average of .269 with 49 runs scored behind eight doubles and an on base percentage of .412. Wilbert Javier-Vargas leads the Eagles offense through seven starts with a .400 average and eight RBI's while also going a perfect 6-6 in stolen bases. Justin Martinez has been the clutch bat off of the bench for the Eagles with six hits in only 13 at bats for a batting average of .462. On the mound, Jack Keeler has collected 13.2 innings pitched in three appearances and recorded an ERA of 4.61 behind a .170 opponent's batting average.
The Eagles are coached by SEU alumni Billy Glessner who ranks eighth in program history in stolen bases.
Reinhardt is coming off of a 35-21 2021 season, where the Eagles advanced to the NAIA Opening Round.
RU opened the 2022 campaign with a three-game sweep over Pikeville at home. Offensively, the Eagles hit .402 as a team over the series with three homers and 36 runs scored. Sophomore infielder Patrick Baggett led the way for Reinhardt versus Pikeville, hitting .462 with four RBIs.
On the mound versus Pikeville, the RU pitching staff complied a 1.71 Earned Run Average, striking out 24 hitters and walking just five in 21 innings pitched. Senior left-handed pitcher Pablo Barquero was solid for the Eagles, as the Georgia State transfer tossed 5.2 innings of shutout ball, walking just one while striking out five batters.
After ending last season with a 51-9 record, the Fire come into the weekend 3-0 after registering a team batting average of .352 behind 37 hits and two home runs this weekend, both by transfer
Gary Lora who ended the weekend with a team high .545 average and six RBI's.
Brian Fuentes also had a strong season opener posting a .500 average behind four hits, three of which were doubles.
Robb Adams had a phenomenal Fire debut on the mound after recording 10 strikeouts through five innings pitched allowing only one hit to claim the win.
Juan Pimentel also had a solid outing going six innings in game three while striking out eight and conceding only two hits to also earn the win.
To purchase tickets to all games this week, go to https://southeastern.universitytickets.com/w/default.aspx?cid=177.
