WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — No. 9 Southeastern split Friday's doubleheader with Keiser, dropping a back-and-forth 10–6 decision in game one before responding with a commanding 13–1 victory in the nightcap to even the series.
Game 1: Keiser 10, Southeastern 6
In the opener, the Fire (26-10) came out with early energy at the plate and quickly established control.
Armani Cozza sparked the lineup with a leadoff single, and
Cade Parry delivered the first big swing of the day with a two-RBI double to give Southeastern a 2–0 lead. The Fire added another run in the second as
Nathanial Hopkins doubled and later scored on a groundout from Cozza, extending the advantage to 3–0 and putting Keiser on its heels early.
Keiser responded in the third, capitalizing on a mix of timely hits and free bases to plate four runs and take a 4–3 lead. Southeastern answered immediately in the fourth with its most complete offensive inning of the game.
Brock McMullen drove in a run with a single, and after Hopkins and Cozza reached to keep the pressure on,
Dayne Wimberly delivered a two-RBI double to left-center to cap a three-run frame and give the Fire a 6–4 edge.
The momentum shifted decisively in the bottom of the fifth. Keiser took advantage of walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a defensive miscue to extend the inning, scoring five runs on just two hits to swing the game in its favor. The Seahawks added an insurance run in the sixth and held Southeastern in check down the stretch, limiting the Fire to just one hit over the final three innings to secure the 10–6 win. Cozza and Hopkins each recorded two hits to lead the offense, while Parry and Wimberly drove in two runs apiece.
Game 2: Southeastern 13, Keiser 1 (7 innings)
Southeastern responded with a noticeably sharper and more complete performance in game two, using both consistent offensive pressure and strong pitching to take control early and never look back. After a scoreless first inning, the Fire erupted for six runs in the second, stringing together seven hits and consistently moving runners into scoring position. RBI contributions came from
Paul Wittmann, Hopkins, Cozza,
Cooper Ciesielski, and
Braden Bartholomae, highlighting a balanced offensive approach throughout the lineup.
The Fire continued to build on that momentum in the third, with Hopkins and Cozza again delivering run-scoring hits to extend the lead to 8–0. Rather than relying solely on big swings, Southeastern showed its ability to manufacture runs in the fifth, scoring four times despite recording just one hit in the inning. Hit-by-pitches, walks, and a Keiser error all played a role, as the Fire pushed the margin to 12–0 and effectively put the game out of reach.
Southeastern added one more in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from
Isaiah Baez, finishing with 13 runs on 17 hits in one of its most efficient offensive showings of the season. Cozza led the way with four hits and three RBIs, while Hopkins matched him with four hits and added two RBIs. Bartholomae contributed a pair of RBIs, and Wittmann reached base three times and scored twice as the Fire lineup produced from top to bottom.
On the mound,
Byler Reither provided the stability Southeastern needed, delivering a complete-game effort. The right-hander allowed just one run on five hits while working through four walks, limiting Keiser's opportunities and keeping the Seahawks from generating sustained momentum.
With the split, Southeastern moves to 27-10 overall. The Fire and Seahawks will meet Saturday at 11 a.m. in West Palm Beach, where Southeastern will look to carry over the rhythm and balance from its game two performance in pursuit of a series win.
