LAKELAND, Fla.—Southeastern picked up its NAIA-leading 46
th win of the season, winning 2-0 and 7-6 in 11 innings during its doubleheader with Thomas on Friday.
Stephen Cullen's 16
th home run of the season came in the bottom of the sixth and was all the Fire needed thanks to a dominant performance on the mound.
It started Thursday night when
Darien Smith struck out four of the nine he faced and continued Friday afternoon with
Robb Adams improving to 6-1 on the year, getting all but the last out of the balance of the game. Adams struck out nine over 6.2 innings of work.
Reece Wissinger came on for his fourth save of the season, stranding the bases loaded with three pitches.
The offense got going in the second game with a solo home run by
Isaac Nunez in the second at bat of the game and a two-run home run by
Chayce Bryant for his team-leading 18
th of the season to lead 3-0 after an inning.
Thomas got an RBI single in the second which the Fire answered in the bottom of the inning when
Jose Marcano stole third and came home on one of four Thomas errors in the game. The Night Hawks took the lead in the third with a four-run inning, getting an RBI single, a run on a fielding error, and two more on an RBI single.
Nunez tied the game in the bottom of the third on another stolen bases, extended by a throwing error. Thomas made it 6-5 with a sacrifice fly which Nunez answered with an RBI double in the bottom of the inning.
The Fire had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and nobody out but a double play and a fly out to foul territory ended the threat.
Wissinger was dominant out of the bullpen again, working 4.2 innings entering with runners at first and third with one out in the seventh. He allowed just two hits, striking out six of the 14 batters he faced to give his team a chance.
Nunez led off the inning with a double, then
Adonys Herrera was intentionally walked to set the stage for
Gary Lora, who's single to center field scored Nunez to end the game.
Nunez was 4-for-5 in the game with three runs scored and two RBIs.
Josh Pigozzo, Herrera, and Bryant had two hits each.
Wissinger earned his fourth win of the year.
The teams will meet Saturday at 11 a.m. for the regular season finale.
