Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 AVE MARIA, Fla. – For the first time this season, Southeastern University's offense hit a wall. The Fire were held to just one run across 18 innings and dropped both ends of Friday's doubleheader at Ave Maria University, falling 2-1 in 11 innings and 1-0 in the seven-inning nightcap.
In Game 1, SEU trailed 1-0 until the sixth when James Strom led off with a triple and scored on a Peter Tassler RBI double to tie the game. The Fire threatened in the seventh, ninth, and 11th innings but couldn't push across the go-ahead run. Ave Maria loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th and walked it off on a hit-by-pitch.
Despite a strong performance from starter Aaron Robertson—who struck out nine and allowed just four hits over six innings—SEU couldn't break through. Ave Maria scored its lone run in Game 2 on back-to-back hits in the second inning. The Fire had multiple scoring chances, including in the seventh when Myles White singled and stole second, but was left stranded.
The Fire (32-8, 11-7 Sun Conference) actually outhit the Gyrenes 15-7 across both games, but Ave Maria (22-20, 12-10) became the first team in 2025 to sweep a doubleheader from Southeastern.
Charlie Collins led the Fire with a 4-for-6 day at the plate, adding two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a stolen base. Strom had a standout performance with a triple, double, and single across seven at-bats, scoring SEU's only run.
Connor Hicks contributed three singles and a walk, while Jon Paul Pennella recorded a hit in both games and drew a walk. Tassler and Nick Streuer each doubled in Game 1, and White added a late single in Game 2.
Robertson suffered his first loss of the season (7-1), despite an impressive outing. In Game 1, SEU's pitching trio held Ave Maria to just three hits. Grant Havrill started and went 3.1 innings, allowing one hit and an earned run with three strikeouts. Agnel Miranda followed with seven dominant innings, giving up just one hit and fanning five.
The Fire and Gyrenes will wrap up their four-game Sun Conference series on Saturday, April 12, with games scheduled for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
