LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 9 Southeastern put together a complete day on Friday, sweeping a doubleheader against Ave Maria at Ted A. Broer Stadium while Head Coach
Gabe Grinder secured his 250th career victory.
The Fire (29-12, 13-6 Sun) used a combination of timely hitting, dominant pitching, and sustained offensive pressure to claim wins of 6–0 and 14–4, controlling both ends of the twin bill.
Game 1: Southeastern 6, Ave Maria 0
Southeastern wasted no time setting the tone in the opener, scoring six runs in the first inning and riding that early surge to a 6–0 shutout victory.
After a leadoff single from
Armani Cozza and a hit-by-pitch to
Jace Essig,
Cade Parry broke the game open with a three-run home run to left. The Fire continued to apply pressure, adding another run on an RBI single from
David Flores before capitalizing on defensive miscues.
Paul Wittmann capped the inning with a solo home run to make it 6–0.
That early cushion proved more than enough for Southeastern's pitching staff.
Austin Peddycoart (3-0) delivered six shutout innings, allowing six hits and one walk while working efficiently through traffic.
Hayden Givens-Craig closed out the game in the seventh with three strikeouts to secure the shutout.
Parry led the offense with three RBIs, while Wittmann added a home run and an RBI as the Fire made the most of five hits.
Game 2: Southeastern 14, Ave Maria 4 (7 innings)
In the nightcap, Southeastern's offense shifted into another gear, rolling to a 14–4 win behind a 13-hit performance.
Ave Maria struck first with two runs in the opening inning, but the Fire answered immediately.
Cooper Ciesielski tied the game with an RBI double before SEU took control in the second inning. Essig delivered an RBI single, and Parry followed with a two-run single to give Southeastern a 5–2 lead.
The Fire continued to build their advantage in the middle innings. Essig highlighted the fourth with a three-run home run, extending the lead to 8–3, before SEU added two more runs in the fifth.
Southeastern put the game away in the seventh, scoring four runs behind a two-run double from Victor Perez and a two-run single from
Brock McMullen.
Essig paced the offense with a standout performance, going 3-for-3 with five RBIs, two walks, and five runs scored. Parry added two hits and two RBIs, while Ciesielski and McMullen each recorded multiple hits.
On the mound,
John McDonald (1-0) earned the win in relief with 2.2 innings as part of a combined effort that held Ave Maria to four runs.
Southeastern will look to win the series on Saturday, with first pitch set for 11 a.m. at Ted A. Broer Stadium.
