Smith, Offense Lift Fire over No. 16 Lions

LAKELAND, Fla.- The Southeastern University offense continued to prove itself the best in the nation in today's first game of the East/West Challenge doubleheader as they would down No. 16 Vanguard 11-1 in seven innings to move to 3-0 on the season.
 
Adonys Herrera got the offensive party started early with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the home team a 2-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third, the Lions cut the deficit in half after four Fire defensive miscues allowed their first and only run to come across the plate.
 
The Fire made up for the sloppy defensive play in the bottom of the third after Herrera put up his second home run of the day, pushing his RBI total to four. Pablo Lanzarote backed it up with an RBI single up the middle that scored Gary Lora to push the Fire lead to 5-1.  Immediately following, Josh Pigozzo claimed the Fire's third home run of the day with a shot over the left field wall, giving the Fire a 7-1 lead.
 
The six-run cushion held until the bottom of the fifth when a bases-loaded walk to Nick Block brought the Fire's eighth run across in the form of pinch runner, Adrian Mella.
 
With a pinch hit opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, Jose Marcano called game with a deep shot over the left field wall to claim the 11-1 run rule victory.
 
Darien Smith grabbed the win in his Fire debut, going six innings while allowing just two hits and striking out 11 Lions.
 
Lanzarote would conclude the day 3-4 while Herrera claimed a team-high four RBI's. Pigozzo also concluded the contest with multiple hits, going 2-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored.
 
The Fire will next take on No. 2 Lewis-Clark State today in a rematch of the 2022 NAIA World Series Championship.