Mesa Hits for the Cycle, Fire Leap Past Lions in Series Opener

LAKELAND, Fla.- On an evening where the Fire endured multiple weather delays, the No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team plated 12 runs on 16 hits and scored in every inning to cruise to a 12-2 10-run rule victory over the Florida Memorial University Lions in seven innings.
Senior outfielder Manuel Mesa had a historic night at the plate, becoming the first Southeastern player in over a decade to hit for the cycle. Mesa did so in just four at-bats, finishing a perfect 4-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored on the night. The Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic native became the first SEU player to accomplish the feat since Hector Echemendia did so versus Cedarville on 2/21/2009.
After just a single minute had elapsed after first pitch between the Fire and the Lions, a one hour and 42 minute lightning delay did not allow play to resume till 8:16 p.m.
Back-to-back doubles got the Fire going in the bottom of the first as senior infielder Dominic Anagnos drove home Mesa after his lead-off extra-base hit. A bases-loaded walk later in the frame allowed Mike Taylor Jr. to cross and put SEU ahead of FMU 2-0.
FMU answered with a solo home run in the top of the second to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Fire quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning by plating four runs on four hits. An RBI triple by Mesa brought courtesy runner Carlos Viera across to start things off. Another RBI double by Anagnos tacked on a run. Back-to-back RBI singles by senior first baseman Noah Strohl and junior outfielder Abdel Guadalupe rounded out the productive inning and put SEU ahead 6-1.
Junior right-handed starting pitcher Jayden Hartle battled through some tough early innings for the Fire. Hartle tossed 4.1 innings, allowed just one earned run to score, walked three, and struck out six.
Mesa acquired the single piece of his cycle in the bottom of the third, as he drove home Dan Valerio with a base knock to left-center.
Guadalupe launched the first long ball of the evening for Southeastern in the bottom of the fourth, a solo shot to left field that was Guadalupe’s team-leading 11th of the season. An RBI single by Valerio later in the frame grew the Fire lead to 9-1.
Mesa hammered the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the fifth to earn the cycle and put the Fire ahead 10-1.
An RBI-double by Valerio in the bottom of the sixth put SEU ahead by 10. However, Florida Memorial scored their second run of the night on a solo home run in the top of the seventh.
Junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Munoz was electric in relief for Southeastern. Munoz struck out five of the first six FMU hitters he faced. The Isabela, Puerto Rico native fanned six total, allowed one earned run, and walked only one in 2.2 innings pitched. The winning decision bumped Munoz’ record up to 2-1 on the year.
In the bottom half of the inning, senior catcher Willie Estrada ended the contest with one swing of the bat, a solo homer that cleared the left center fence and secured the 10-run rule victory.
DINKEL’S DUGOUT
“Jayden did a great job fighting through the delays to give us some early quality innings. Hats off to our offense for staying prepared and putting up early runs. Anytime we can score in every inning it makes life a little easier,” –Adrian Dinkel, Southeastern Head Coach.