LAKELAND, Fla. – Southeastern University wasted no time setting the tone in its Sun Conference weekend series. The Fire scored in each of the first four innings and held off a late rally to claim an 8-4 win over No. 25 Keiser University in Thursday night's series opener at Ted A. Broer Stadium.
Connor Hicks and Myles White launched solo home runs in the first and second innings, respectively, while Alfonso Villalobos lined a two-run single up the middle in the third to double SEU's lead to 4-0. Jon Paul Pennella added what would become the game-winning RBI with a double in the fourth.
The Fire (34-9, 13-8 SUN) have now won two straight, while the Seahawks (28-10, 11-10 SUN) dropped their second straight series opener. Keiser plated three runs in the ninth, but reliever Andrew Hansen recorded the final two outs to secure the victory.
Southeastern's 13-hit effort was led by Charlie Collins, who went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Pennella finished with two hits, a run, and an RBI, while Villalobos added a double, single, and two driven in. White went 2-for-4 with a home run and scored twice.
Tyler Hinrikus made the most of every trip to the plate, finishing 1-for-1 with a two-run homer, three walks, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Hicks chipped in his solo shot, while James Strom also tallied a hit.
Grant Harvill opened the game with three scoreless innings before giving way to Agnel Miranda (5-1), who struck out eight over four frames and allowed just one earned run on four hits. Tyler Zylstra pitched a scoreless eighth. Keiser mounted a brief ninth-inning rally, scoring three runs on one hit and two walks, but Hansen shut the door with back-to-back outs to preserve the win.
Hicks gave the Fire an early spark, drilling a two-out solo homer to center in the first. White followed suit an inning later with his own two-out shot.
SEU broke the game open in the third. Pennella and Collins singled, Hicks was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Villalobos drove in two with a sharp single up the middle. In the fourth, Pennella added an RBI double, and Hinrikus followed with a two-run blast to push the lead to 7-1. Collins later scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-1.
The Fire and Seahawks continue their four-game set with a doubleheader on Friday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
