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2026 Baseball Notes -- February 4

No. 3 SEU Welcomes No. 12 Oklahoma Wesleyan to Lakeland

Fire look to build on strong early-season results in Top-12 matchup

LAKELAND, Fla. -- No. 3 Southeastern Baseball returns home this week for one of the marquee NAIA matchups of the early season, hosting No. 12 Oklahoma Wesleyan for a four-game series at Ted A. Broer Stadium.

Schedule
  • Thursday, Feb. 5 — 6 p.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 6 — 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 7 — 11 a.m. — Doubleheader
    • Game 1: 7 innings | Game 2: 9 innings
All games will be played in Lakeland at Ted A. Broer Stadium.

How to Watch
Fans can watch all games live on the Urban Edge Network app (mobile and Smart TV) and online.

Fire Facts
  1. SEU is off to a 3–1 start and ranked No. 3 nationally, averaging over 10 runs per win while already posting 5 home runs and 32 hits in just four games.
  2. Nathanial Hopkins and David Flores are both hitting .429, with Flores reaching base at a .636 clip — making him one of the toughest outs early in the season.
  3. Paul Wittmann is slugging .786 with 2 HR and 9 RBIs, giving SEU a true middle-of-the-order force just four games into the year.
  4. SEU pitchers have held opponents to a .236 average and just 1 HR allowed, while striking out 38 batters in 32 innings.
  5. Kai Langford set the tone on the mound, tossing 6.0 innings with a 1.50 ERA, only 2 hits allowed, and 7 strikeouts in his first start of 2026.
About the Fire
SEU enters the weekend with a 3–1 overall record and a .750 winning percentage, still early in the season and yet to begin conference play. The Fire have played all four games at home, posting a 3–1 mark in Lakeland while remaining unbeaten on the road and at neutral sites. After opening the year with three straight wins, SEU comes into the series looking to respond following its first loss of the season.

Nationally, the Fire have already put together a strong statistical profile. SEU ranks 23rd in slugging percentage (.462) and 26th in on-base percentage (.436). The Fire are hitting .274 as a team and have totaled 32 hits, seven doubles, and five home runs, with the home run total ranking among the NAIA leaders early in the year.

At the Plate
Southeastern's offense has been fueled by several early standouts. Nathanial Hopkins has been one of the most consistent bats in the lineup, hitting .429 (6-for-14) while scoring six runs, adding a double, and going 3-for-3 in stolen bases. He also owns a .500 on-base percentage. David Flores is also batting .429 and has been difficult to keep off base, posting a team-best .636 OBP with three hit-by-pitches and three RBIs in limited at-bats.

Power production has come from multiple spots. Paul Wittmann is hitting .357 with two home runs and a team-high nine RBIs, good for a .786 slugging percentage. Cade Parry carries a .375 average and .750 slugging percentage with a home run and four runs scored, while Charlie Collins is batting .308 with three doubles and four RBIs. Cort Pryor has already driven in 10 runs with a home run, giving SEU several reliable middle-of-the-order run producers.

As a team, the Fire have drawn 19 walks and been hit by 17 pitches, boosting their on-base numbers and helping them average more than 10 runs per game in their wins.

On the Mound
SEU owns a 4.22 team ERA across 32 innings with opponents batting just .236 against the staff. Kai Langford has emerged as an early anchor, throwing 6.0 innings with a 1.50 ERA while allowing only two hits and striking out seven to earn a win. Blake Sandvik also picked up a victory, working 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA.

Byler Reither has added 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts and a win, while Blake Albritton contributed 4.0 innings with four strikeouts. The bullpen has been a strength as well, featuring scoreless outings from John McDonald, Brody McMullen (who recorded a save), Cole Jones, Peyten Czekalewski, and Micah Earwood, all of whom have yet to allow an earned run.

Overall, Fire pitchers have combined for 38 strikeouts and allowed just one home run, showing swing-and-miss capability and depth that should serve SEU well as the schedule intensifies.

Opponent Snapshot — Oklahoma Wesleyan
No. 12 Oklahoma Wesleyan enters at 4–1 overall, going 2–0 at home and 2–1 on the road. The Eagles are hitting .315 as a team with 53 runs in five games. Luis Antigua (.471) and Daurys Manzanillo (.421, 2 HR, 7 RBI) pace the lineup, while Wally Diaz has eight RBIs. On the mound, OKWU owns a 4.38 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 37 innings. Ashton Luera is 2–0 with a 0.00 ERA, and Alex Garcia has 12 strikeouts in 5.0 scoreless innings.

All-Time Series vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan
Southeastern leads the all-time series 6–1 and is 6–0 against the Eagles in Lakeland, carrying a six-game win streak. Since dropping the first meeting in 2011, the Fire have won every matchup, including sweeps in 2023 and 2024. SEU took the last series by scores of 6–5, 13–5, and 9–5.

Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Fire will hit the road next week for a four-game series at Mobile in Mobile, Ala. The series begins Thursday, Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. ET, followed by a Friday doubleheader at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET. The weekend wraps up Saturday, Feb. 14 with a 12 p.m. ET first pitch. The trip will mark SEU's first true road test of the season as the Fire continue their early non-conference slate.
 
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