Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – It's not often you get a World Series rematch out of the gate, and the Fire made the most of it. Reece Wissinger fired seven shutout innings as Southeastern University blanked No. 10 Arizona Christian University, 7-0, in the 2025 season opener.
Wissinger fanned the Firestorm's first three hitters and four of the first five and set the tone of the night. The Fire took advantage of a visitors' second-inning error as part of a 3-run frame and added a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
SEU (1-0) started its drive to return to the NAIA Avista World Series in a big way. The Fire met the Firestorm in the first game of last spring's Series, where Arizona Christian (3-1) edged out a 5-3 win in the 11th inning, sending the Fire to the losers bracket, where they never recovered.
Wissinger, converted to a starting pitcher after closing last year, went seven innings, facing 27 batters. He allowed only three hits and three walks and struck out seven. Logan LaPierrere could not have been stronger as he struck out the side in the eighth before Austin Peddycoart fanned two hitters and gave up one hit in closing the night.
The Fire offense produced nine hits, with Connor Hicks and Jon Paul Pennella leading the way. Hicks went 2-for-4 with an RBI walk, while Pennella was 2-for-3 with a run, a walk, and a stolen base.
Myles White singled in a run, while Nick Streuer lofted a sac fly and scored once. Peter Tassler singled, drew three walks with one when the bases were loaded for an RBI, adding a run.
Charlie Collins and Alfonso Villalobos both singled and walked two times. James Strom scored a run and was hit by a pitch, while John Rossi pinch ran and scored.
After Wissinger struck out the side in the first and rolled a double play to end the second, SEU put all the runs it would need in the home second. White walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third. Villalobos walked and Strom was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With one out, Pennella a grounder to second was misplayed, allowing White and Villalobos to race home. Streuer lifted his sac fly for a 3-0 lead and the SEU pitching took it from there.
White lined a hard liner to right field to drive home one of the two home fifth runs for a 5-0 lead.
Wissinger worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the sixth by forcing a ground out. The Fire added two insurance runs the next inning, with Hicks and Tassler working bases loaded walks.
The Fire return to action tomorrow night when they host No. 24 University of British Columbia. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
