Fire Split Opening Day Doubleheader with Gyrenes

by | Jan 30, 2019 | RRSN News | 0 comments

No. 1 Southeastern Gets Mixed Results in Season Opener
AVE MARIA, Fla. – In an Opening Day with mixed results, the No. 1 Southeastern University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with the Ave Maria University Gyrenes. The Fire gritted out a 5-0 win over the Gyrenes in game one before being edged 7-6 in the second contest.
The Fire did not wait long to score their first run of 2019. Senior outfielder Manuel Mesa led off the game with a triple to center field. He was driven in later in the frame by an Ivan Nunez RBI groundout to put SEU on the board 1-0.
SEU tacked on another run in the top of the fourth thanks to a bases-loaded fielder’s choice, and an additional run in the top of the fifth via a wild pitch that allowed junior outfielder Mike Taylor Jr. to cross the plate.
A pair of Gyrenes’ miscues in the top of the 7th allowed SEU to add a pair of insurance runs off two errors to go up 5-0.
Southeastern earned the shutout on the mound thanks to a combined staff effort.
Coming in relief in the top of the third, junior right-handed pitcher Kyle Wilson sat down six of the nine Gyrenes he faced, striking out four in the process. The Arkansas Tech transfer earned the winning decision for Southeastern.
Junior southpaw Colton Tison was dynamic in relief for SEU, retiring the first six batters he faced. In three innings of work, Tison surrendered just one hit and earned the save.
In game two, the Fire found themselves battling from behind throughout the contest.
After a solo home run by Taylor Jr. to left field in the top of the first, the Gyrenes responded with three runs on three hits and an error in the bottom half of the frame.
The Fire quickly retaliated in the top of the second with a three-run spurt of their own. Four-straight singles are how SEU accomplished the big-inning, with Mesa, Taylor Jr., and junior first baseman Noah Strohl picking up RBIs.
Taylor Jr. impressed in his Fire debut, batting .500 (3-6) on the day with two runs batted in and three runs scored.
The final RBI single by Strohl gave SEU a 4-3 lead. The Fire added another in the top of the third thanks to another AMU error.
However, the Gyrenes had a final answer for the Fire in the bottom half of the inning, stringing together a four-run frame off four hits to take a 7-5 lead.
The Fire bats fell into a lull at that point, unable to advance a runner into scoring position until the top of the seventh.
In the top of the seventh, the Fire broke their silence, bringing home Anagnos on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Carlos Viera to cut the deficit to 7-6. However, the Fire were not able to bring home the tying run.
Southeastern now turns its focus to a monumental non-conference series this weekend. The Fire travel to Lawrenceville, Georgia to take on No. 3 Georgia Gwinnett in a three-game set. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m.

Related Stories

58th Annual IHSAA Baseball State Finals

Friday, June 20 Class 1A State Championship 4:30 pm ET / 3:30 CT | Kouts (27-6) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (20-10) Class 3A State Championship 8 pm ET / 7 CT | Andrean (30-3) vs. Jasper (28-6) Saturday, June 21 Class 2A State Championship 4:30 pm ET / 3:30 CT | Boone...

Cathedral withstands late rally to win first softball crown

By Lewis Bagley, Special to IHSAA.org WEST LAFAYETTE - Cathedral’s Anna Moore knew this was her time to come through for her team. Trailing Hanover Central, 2-1, in the fourth inning of the Class 3A championship game, Moore came to the plate with two on base. She...

Tecumseh wins sixth softball crown, first in Class 2A

By Lewis Bagley, Special to IHSAA.org WEST LAFAYETTE - Class 1A or 2A, it doesn’t seem to matter for the Tecumseh Braves. Coach Gordon Wood’s top-ranked squad claimed its second-straight and sixth state championship in program history with a 2-0 victory over No. 3...

Crown Point’s Liezert strikes out 16, Bulldogs win second crown

By Rich Torres, Special to IHSAA.org WEST LAFAYETTE – For some teams, a nearly 17-hour, overnight rain delay would derail anyone’s championship focus. For Class 4A Crown Point, Friday night’s postponement of the 40th annual IHSAA softball state finals into Saturday...

Rainford fans 17, North Newton secures first championship

By Will Willems, Special to IHSAA.org WEST LAFAYETTE - Sydney Rainford was on a mission. After three years of disappointing post-season results, Rainford knew this was her last chance to achieve the ultimate goal with her North Newton Spartan teammates of winning the...

40th IHSAA Softball State Finals Preview

Rosters, stats, and game notes for this weekend’s state championship games News Release https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2024-25%20Softball%20Preview.pdf

Grace’s men’s tennis season ends at NAIA tournament

Grace’s season ends at NAIA tournament MOBILE, Ala. - Another memorable season for Grace’s men’s tennis team reached its conclusion on Wednesday. The No. 14 seed Lancers lost to No. 3 Keiser 4-0 in the Second Round of the 2025 NAIA National Championships. Grace was...

Participants set for IBCA/IHSAA Underclass Showcase events

For 2025: Girls’ event June 12 and boys event June 27, both at Ben Davis       The 23rd IBCA/IHSAA Top 100 Underclass Showcase basketball events have been set for June 12 and June 27. The 2025 girls' IBCA/IHSAA Top 100 Underclass Showcase will be Thursday, June 12 at...

Lopez Named Second Team All-MVC; Rodas on All-Defensive Team

Lopez Named Second Team All-MVC; Rodas on All-Defensive Team   Two Valpo softball players were honored Wednesday morning as the Missouri Valley Conference unveiled its postseason awards. Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) was named a Second...

Valpo Athletics Holds Annual ARC Awards Ceremony Sunday Evening

Valpo Athletics Holds Annual ARC Awards Ceremony Sunday Evening   Valparaiso University student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff members gathered at the Harre Union on Sunday evening for the annual ARC Awards ceremony, celebrating the successes of this academic...