LAKELAND, Fla. — A series between two nationally ranked programs lived up to its billing this weekend as No. 3 Southeastern and No. 12 Oklahoma Wesleyan battled through a competitive four-game set at Ted A. Broer Stadium, highlighted by a split in Saturday's doubleheader.
Saturday's opener featured a tight, low-scoring duel that saw Oklahoma Wesleyan slip past Southeastern 3–2 in seven innings. Both starters were sharp early, as OKWU's Ashton Luera and SEU's
Byler Reither traded zeros through the first three frames while navigating scattered traffic on the bases.
The Eagles broke through in the fourth, using a two-out walk and a defensive miscue to plate the game's first run. They added two more in the fifth, capitalizing on another SEU error and an RBI single from Gilbert Morales to take a 3–0 advantage.
Southeastern chipped away late.
David Flores singled and later scored on a
Charlie Collins RBI groundout in the fifth to put the Fire on the board. In the sixth,
Jace Essig ignited the crowd with a solo homer to left-center, trimming the deficit to 3–2. The Fire put the tying run on base in the seventh, but OKWU reliever Alex Garcia recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the threat and secure the save.
Essig finished 1-for-3 with the home run and a run scored, while Flores collected two of SEU's five hits. Collins added an RBI and a triple. Reither was charged with the loss despite allowing just one earned run over 4.1 innings and striking out seven.
The Fire responded in the nightcap, rolling to a 10–4 victory to close the series. Southeastern seized control immediately, scoring three runs in the first inning without a hit. Collins was hit by a pitch to spark the rally, and a combination of walks, a sacrifice bunt by Essig, and Oklahoma Wesleyan errors helped SEU build a 3–0 lead.
The advantage grew in the second. Collins and Essig reached again before
Cort Pryor delivered a two-run double. Pryor later stole third and scored on a
Cade Parry sacrifice fly to make it 6–0.
OKWU answered with two runs in the third on RBI efforts from Daurys Manzanillo and JT Maloney, but Southeastern's bullpen stabilized the game.
Blake Albritton entered in the third and earned the win, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing just two runs while striking out three.
Southeastern continued to add on, scoring in the fifth and sixth to stretch the margin to 8–2. After a Wally Diaz solo homer in the seventh cut into the lead, the Fire responded again in the bottom half.
Dayne Wimberly scored on a
Nick Streuer sacrifice bunt, and
Nathanial Hopkins followed with an RBI double to push the lead to 10–3.
The Eagles added one in the eighth, but
Michael Geissler shut the door in the ninth to seal the victory. Pryor led the way offensively with a double and four RBIs. Essig went 2-for-3 and reached base three times, Parry scored twice and drove in a run, and Hopkins added a key RBI double as SEU capitalized on walks, hit batters, and defensive miscues.
Southeastern now turns its attention to a four-game road series at the University of Mobile (Ala.), beginning Thursday, February 12 at 4 p.m. ET. The teams will also meet Friday at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET before wrapping up the series Saturday at 12 p.m. ET in Mobile, Ala.
