AVE MARIA, Fla.- On a day where Felix Dieguez dazzled on the mound and the Fire bats plated 11 runs on 17 hits, the No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team rolled to an 11-1 victory over the Ave Maria University Gyrenes to take the opening contest of The Sun Conference weekend series.
The Southeastern offense immediately opened up the game with confidence at the plate, driving in five runs on five hits in the top of the first inning. RBI base hits by junior designated hitter Colton Onstott, senior outfielder Dan Valerio, and senior infielder Adam De La Cruz highlighted the big frame.
The Fire offense fell into a bit of a lull after the strong showing in the top of the first, plating just one run on an RBI single by Ivan Nunez in the top of the fourth and leaving six men on base from the second through the seventh frame.
The SEU lead faced little threat during that stretch, due largely in fact to the dominance of Dieguez on the mound. The senior left-handed pitcher surrendered four hits, walked just one, struck out 11, and did not allow an AMU runner to advance past second base through the first seven innings of play.
“Felix set the tone for us. He had quick innings allowing our offense to get back in the dugout and catch a rhythm,” shared head coach Adrian Dinkel.
Dieguez improved to 5-0 on the season with the win and in his last four starts has tossed six or more innings and is averaging 9.5 strikeouts per outing.
After Nunez pushed his RBI total to two in the top of the eighth when he singled home Dominic Anagnos, the Gyrenes finally scored against Dieguez, plating their lone run of the game to trim the deficit to 7-1.
The Fire responded boisterously in the top of the ninth, tacking on four more runs on five hits to take an 11-1 advantage.
Senior first baseman Noah Strohl got the big inning going by blasting his seventh home run of the season, a two-run long ball. Senior catcher Willie Estrada then added another by doubling home Abdel Guadalupe. Anagnos capped off the frame with an RBI single to left field.
“Today we had team at-bats, where over the past week we had selfish at-bats. It was great to see our guys make the adjustment,” added Dinkel.
Southeastern looks to cement the series sweep of Ave Maria tomorrow afternoon in doubleheader action. Game times are scheduled for Noon and 3 p.m.
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