LAKELAND, Fla.—Southeastern came back from a three-run deficit to take the first of a three-game series against 21
st-ranked Reinhardt.
Two home runs by
Stephen Cullen and a go-ahead grand slam by
Abdel Guadalupe lifted No. 3 Southeastern over Reinhardt 8-7 Thursday afternoon.
Cullen's first homer was a two-run shot that came in the bottom of the second with the Fire (6-0) down 3-0. The Eagles (3-1) answered with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly in the third to go back up three runs.
Luis Cabrera homered to get the Fire within two, but a homer to lead off the sixth gave Reinhardt a 6-3 lead.
"I was just trying to stay in the middle of the field and see something up and hit it hard," said Cullen.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Cullen hit his second homer of the day to make it 6-4. An error with one out loaded the bases. The Eagles were able to get an out at home on a fielder's choice during
Thomas Broyles' at bat which kept the bases loaded for Guadalupe with two outs.
Guadalupe's second grand slam in 24 hours gave Southeastern an 8-6 advantage heading to the seventh.
The Eagles added a run in the seventh, but DJ Roberts kept Reinhardt from tying or taking the lead. Roberts picked up the save, going 2.1 innings of shutout work, allowing just one hit, one walk, and struck out two.
Alex Munroe earned the win, working 4.1 innings with three strikeouts. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and walked four.
Cabrera and Cullen finished with two hits each.
The two teams will meet on Friday at 3 p.m. for the second game of the series.
