Ninth Inning Homer lifts Keiser over SEU Baseball

LAKELAND, Fla.—Despite leading by three runs after four at bats, the Southeastern University baseball team ended up on the short end of a 10-7 decision in the first game of its weekend series against Keiser.
A strong wind blowing towards center field yielded a seven-home run game with Ivan Nunez hitting his 12th of the season in the bottom of the first to score Mike Taylor Jr., and was followed by Noah Strohl’s ninth of the season in the subsequent at bat.
Southeastern starting pitcher Jayden Hartle retired the first five hitters he faced, but Juan De La Cruz picked up the first of his two homers on the day with two outs in the top of the second to put the Seahawks on the board.
Keiser took the lead on a three-run homer in the third by Drew Reilly during a five-run inning.
The Fire bats went quiet after the first inning as SEU had just five baserunners in the next six innings.
Down four after six innings, thanks to De La Cruz’s second solo homer, the Fire rallied in the eighth with Strohl’s second homer of the game. The Fire then loaded the bases following a pair of hit batsmen and a walk. Adam De La Cruz brought SEU within a run with a two-run single, then Manuel Mesa tied the game with his 180th hit with the Fire.
However, the Seahawks responded in the top of the ninth with a three-run homer by Peter Crocitto.
Strohl and Mesa finished with two hits each to lead the Fire.
The teams will meet for a doubleheader on Saturday with the first game beginning at 12 p.m.