LAKELAND, Fla. — For the eighth consecutive season, the Southeastern baseball team is headed to the Avista NAIA World Series after the top-seeded Fire rolled past British Columbia, 7-2, Thursday afternoon in the winner-take-all If Necessary Game of the NAIA Opening Round Lakeland Bracket at Ted A. Broer Stadium.
With the victory, Southeastern punched its ticket back to the national stage once again, extending one of the premier postseason streaks in college baseball.
SEU wasted no time delivering the knockout punch.
On the very first pitch of the afternoon,
Armani Cozza launched a solo home run to center field, igniting the home dugout and instantly shifting momentum toward the Fire. Five pitches later,
Jace Essig followed with a blast of his own to left, giving Southeastern back-to-back home runs to open the game and a quick 2-0 lead before many had even settled into their seats.
The opening inning avalanche continued from there.
After
Cooper Ciesielski walked and
Charlie Collins singled,
Cort Pryor worked another free pass to load the bases.
Brock McMullen then reached on an infield error that allowed two more runs to score, stretching the advantage to 4-0 by the end of the first inning.
That early cushion proved more than enough for a Southeastern pitching staff that pieced together another postseason gem.
Starter
Peyten Czekalewski navigated four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while working around four walks to keep British Columbia off the board early. The senior stranded multiple runners and helped preserve momentum after the explosive opening frame.
SEU added another run in the third inning when McMullen ripped an RBI single to left, scoring
Cade Parry and pushing the lead to 5-0.
The defining insurance blow arrived in the fifth.
Ciesielski and Collins opened the inning with consecutive singles before a throwing error moved both runners into scoring position. Pryor then delivered a two-run double into the left-center gap to extend the Fire lead to 7-0.
British Columbia finally broke through in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run from Josh Cote, but Southeastern's bullpen immediately stabilized the game.
Brody McMullen earned the win with two strong innings in relief before
Parker Lambeth carried the Fire into the ninth inning. British Columbia threatened late with three straight baserunners and scratched across an unearned run, but
Hayden Givens-Craig entered and slammed the door shut with a game-ending strikeout to send Southeastern back to the World Series.
Ciesielski led the offensive attack with a three-hit afternoon, while Collins and Pryor each added two hits. Pryor finished with a game-high two RBIs, and both Cozza and Essig homered in the decisive first inning.
The Fire finished the afternoon with 12 hits and built enough early separation to withstand every late push from the Thunderbirds.
Now, SEU will now turn its attention west toward Lewiston, Idaho, where the Avista NAIA World Series will be held May 22-30 at Lewis-Clark State College.
