Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – A four-game sweep is a great way to start a new era. Southeastern University posted multiple runs in four straight innings and the offense exploded against No. 2 Hope International for a 17-1 victory at Ted A. Broer Stadium to finish the East/West Challenge as the tournament's only undefeated team.
With a slim 1-0 lead heading to the home fourth inning, SEU turned to its hitter of the night in the middle of a five-run inning that put the game away for the Fire. Charlie Collins sliced a double to right center field for the first two of his six-RBI night after Jon Paul Pennella drove in the first run of the inning. Pennella recorded his own 2-run double in the five-run fifth, Collins added a second 2-run double in the sixth and Nick Streuer drove in a pair on a single in the seventh as part of the offensive explosion.
Not to be overshadowed, the pitching for the Fire was tough for the fourth night in a row. The four SEU hurlers allowed only four hits, no earned runs, and walked only three while piling up 16 strikeouts. Starter Agnel Miranda covered the opening five innings, giving up only one hit, walking two, and striking out seven.
The Fire outscored their opponents by a 33-4 margin over 36 innings, but the pitching was the story all weekend. SEU struck out 56 batters over the four games while only giving up two earned runs.
Against defending NAIA World Series Champion Hope, SEU hitters produced 18 hits. Collins was a perfect 5-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and six RBI. Pennella went 3-for-4 with four runs, a double, and three RBI, while Streuer posted a 3-for-5 outing with three runs and two RBI. Jacob Gumieny was the final three-hit Fire batter with two runs and one driven in.
Myles White contributed a double and a single with an RBI as the final multi-hit player. Connor Hicks posted two RBI including a sac fly and Peter Tassler lofted his own sac fly as the final run of the evening. Tyler Hinrikus had a single and scored twice.
After Miranda left the hill, SEU had its bullpen by committee with Alex Johnson, Cole Jones, Grant Harvill, and Hayden Givens-Craig each covering a frame and giving up a combined three hits and striking out nine.
SEU will have a few well-earned days off before they host the University of British Columbia in a three-game series starting on Wednesday at 6 p.m..
