LAKELAND, Fla. – Southeastern University took a major step toward recapturing its early-season momentum with a dominant weekend performance. The Fire completed their first Sun Conference series sweep of the season, defeating Florida Memorial University 14-8 on Sunday.
SEU scored in every inning from the second through the seventh and broke the game open late. Trailing 8-7 after the top of the sixth, the Fire regained control for good. Jon Paul Pennella and Connor Hicks led off the inning with walks, and Charlie Collins reached on an error to load the bases. James Strom followed with a two-run single to left field, and Tyler Hinrikus added an RBI walk to put SEU up 10-8.
The Fire added four more insurance runs—two in the seventh and two in the eighth—while relievers Austin Peddycoart and Cole Jones combined for 3.1 scoreless innings to close it out.
With the victory, SEU improved to 32-6 overall and 11-5 in Sun Conference play. The sweep was the Fire's first four-game series sweep in conference play and first overall since they took four from Embry-Riddle on February 21-22.
Southeastern outhit Florida Memorial 16-7. Strom led the offense with a 4-for-6 day, collecting three singles and a solo home run. He drove in five runs, scored twice, and added a stolen base. Hicks followed closely behind, going 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Collins and Peter Tassler each had two hits. Collins went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Tassler contributed a single, a home run, and a sacrifice fly, driving in three runs and scoring once.
Alfonso Villalobos added a two-run homer and scored three times. Pennella singled and scored twice. Nick Streuer, Hinrikus, and John Rossi each chipped in a single. Pinch runners Brock McMullen and Hunter McCollum crossed the plate three and one times, respectively.
On the mound, Bryce McDonald started and went five innings, striking out six. Peddycoart followed with 2.1 scoreless innings and four strikeouts before Jones closed it out in the ninth.
Florida Memorial jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with two runs in both the first and second innings. SEU responded with power. Strom and Tassler opened the bottom of the second with back-to-back solo shots, and Villalobos tied the game at 4-4 in the third with a two-run homer.
Hicks gave SEU its first lead, 5-4, in the fourth with an RBI single scoring Rossi. Tassler's sacrifice fly in the fifth tied the game again at 6-6, and Hinrikus put SEU ahead 7-6 with a sac fly of his own. The Lions briefly reclaimed the lead with two runs in the sixth, but the Fire's offense answered immediately.
Strom drove in two more in the seventh, and Tassler added an RBI on a sacrifice bunt. Collins capped the scoring with an RBI single in the eighth.
SEU will take the upcoming week off before traveling to Ave Maria University for their next Sun Conference series. The set begins with a doubleheader on Friday, April 11, with first pitches scheduled for 1 and 4 p.m.
