Box Score LAKE WALES, Fla. – The Fire made the fourth time with runners on base in extra innings count. With one out in the top of the 13th inning, Alfonso Villalobos cleared the bags with a grand slam to lift Southeastern University over Warner University, 11-7, in the Sun Conference opener.
After three scoreless extra frames, Jon Paul Pennella and Charlie Collins led off the 13th with singles and Connor Hicks joined them on base when he was hit by a pitch. Following the first out, Villalobos connected on the game-winner. Cole Jones gave up only one single to Warner as he worked the final two innings for his first victory.
The Fire offense was out hit by three, but they scattered 15 hits over 13 at bats. Collins, Pennella, and Villalobos combined for two-thirds of the hits at a 10-for-21 clip with six runs and seven RBI. Collins recorded a 4-for-7 night, leading off the third with a solo homer, doubling, and scoring in the fifth for the then go-ahead score and drove in the final Fire run before extras. He also scored three runs, drove in two, and swiped a pair of bases.
Pennella singled three times, scored once, and drove in one from the lead off spot. In addition to the grand slam, Villalobos singled and doubled in seven at-bats with two runs and four RBI.
Peter Tassler cranked a three-run homer and singled in five at bats, while John Rossi singled two times and stole a base.
Andrew Hansen, Micah Earwood, and Jones held Warner scoreless for the game's final six innings. Hansen accounted for 1.1 innings where he gave up three hits and walked one, while Earwood carried the load of 3.1 innings with three hits and two walks.
Following a home two-run homer in the first, James Strom was hit by a pitch and Villalobos doubled before Tessler belted his 3-run homer for the first SEU lead, 3-2, in the top of the second.
Warner came back with a trio of runs in the second on four hits for a 5-3 edge.
Collins led off the third with a solo shot to start a run of four-straight innings with one run each. Pennella drove in White on a single in the fourth, Collins doubled, stole second and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, then singled home White in the sixth for a 7-6 advantage.
Warner scored the last run before extra frames with a single and RBI double in the home seventh to tie the game at seven.
SEU had runners in scoring position in each of the ninth, tenth and eleventh innings, but could not score.
With the win, the Fire improve to 22-1 (1-0 SUN) while Warner drops to 10-13 (2-3 SUN). The two teams play a doubleheader on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
