WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—Southeastern will need to win twice on Sunday to pick up their third consecutive Sun Conference Tournament championship.
The Fire were 1-1 on Saturday, picking up a 23-3 win over Keiser in the elimination game after a 1-0 loss to Webber International in the final game of the winner's bracket.
The Fire were held without a run in their first game of the day for the first time since March 3, 2018, and had just three hits in the game with two coming in the ninth.
Webber plated the lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth with a single to right field that was misplayed, allowing the runner at first to score.
Isaac Nunez and
Adonys Herrera led off the ninth with singles, but a popped-up bunt and a flyout to left put the Fire in a tough spot. A walk to
Stephen Cullen loaded the bases, but a groundout ended the game.
Darien Smith kept pace with Webber starter Mark Link, striking out seven over eight innings of work and allowed just one unearned run. Link struck out nine over eight to pick up his fifth win of the season.
The offense came to life in the second game, registering 23 hits with seven for extra bases.
Chayce Bryant started the scoring against the Seahawks with his team-leading 19
th homer of the season to lead off the second inning. The Fire added runs on an RBI groundout by
Jose Marcano, a wild pitch which brought home Cullen, and a double steal which brought home
Josh Pigozzo.
The Fire exploded for 11 runs on 10 hits in the third to put the game away, highlighted by Cullen's 18
th homer of the season, a grand slam to left. He also had an RBI single that inning to make it 15-0.
Gary Lora picked up his fourth RBI of the game with a two-run single to center field in the fourth, which was followed by an RBI double by Bryant.
Keiser scored on a wild pitch in the fourth and a triple in the fifth.
David Castillo scored Herrera with a single to right in the seventh, and Cullen picked up a solo homer in the eighth to make it 21-2. An RBI double by Keiser in the bottom of the eighth brought in their final run.
Lanzarote picked up an RBI with a bases loaded walk in the ninth and Cullen scored his seventh RBI of the game with a hit by pitch in the next at bat.
Cullen finished 4-for-6 with seven RBIs and three runs scored. Herrera and Bryant had four hits each as well. Lora added a 3-for-4 night with four RBIs.
On the mound,
Reece Wissinger struck out four of the seven he faced to start the game during two shutout innings.
Olvis Genao also worked a shutout inning in relief.
Jay Schueler picked up the win with four innings of work, allowing just one earned on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
The Fire will take on Webber International at 11 a.m. on Sunday with the if necessary game taking place at 2:30 p.m.
