LAKELAND, Fla. – Southeastern University maintained its series edge with a Game 1 victory on Saturday, but a late rally fell short in the nightcap, resulting in a split against No. 25 Keiser University. The Fire took the opener 5-2 before dropping the second contest 7-5.
The Fire wasted no time getting on the board in Game 1. Jon Paul Pennella led off with a double, Charlie Collins followed with a single, and Connor Hicks delivered a two-run double to give SEU an early lead. Collins extended the advantage to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly in the second.
On the mound, Aaron Robertson and Cole Jones combined to limit Keiser to two runs on five hits. Robertson (8-1) went six innings, allowing two runs while striking out eight. Jones closed the door with a scoreless seventh to earn his eighth save.
Keiser bounced back in Game 2, breaking a 1-1 tie with six runs across the fourth through sixth innings to take a 7-4 lead. Tyler Hinrikus knocked in a run with a double in the eighth, and SEU loaded the bases in the ninth with singles from Pennella and Hicks and a walk to Collins. However, the Seahawks shut the door with three straight strikeouts to end the threat.
With the split, SEU improved to 35-10 overall and 14-9 in Sun Conference play. The Fire have secured at least a split in the four-game weekend series against Keiser (29-11, 12-11).
SEU's top three hitters—Pennella, Collins, and Hicks—combined for 11 of the team's 20 hits on the day. Pennella went 5-for-7 with a double, three runs, an RBI, and two stolen bases. Hicks finished 4-for-7 with a double and four RBI. Collins added a 2-for-2 performance in the opener, scoring twice, driving in a run, and stealing three bases.
Myles White chipped in three singles and scored twice. David Castillo collected two hits and crossed the plate once. Peter Tassler added a solo home run, while Hinrikus contributed an RBI double. James Strom had two singles, and Jacob Gumieny and John Rossi each added a hit.
In Game 1, SEU added insurance runs late. Collins singled to start the fifth, then stole second and third before scoring on an Alfonso Villalobos sac fly. In the sixth, Tassler led off with a solo homer to seal the 5-2 win.
In Game 2, SEU chipped away at a 5-1 deficit in the fifth. After singles from White and Rossi, Pennella drove in one run, Rossi scored on a Keiser error, and Hicks capped the rally with an RBI single to make it 5-4. However, Keiser responded with two more runs in the sixth and held SEU to just the Hinrikus RBI double the rest of the way.
The series concludes tomorrow afternoon with a 12 p.m. first pitch.
