COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Southeastern University Fire have secured a spot as one of only four teams remaining in the NAIA with a come-from-behind 4-2 victory over the No. 6 seeded Indiana Wesleyan in game four of the World Series.

In the bottom of the third, a walk and an error allowed a Wildcat double to bring home the first two runs of the contest.

Three innings later, the Fire’s offensive silence was broken after a single by Jamie Mead and a walk by Haleigh Harrell set up an RBI situation for Erica Stahl. Stahl continued her clutch streak, lining a single into center field and scoring Mead to cut the deficit in half. Ashley Ellison would immediately follow it up with a two-run double into right field, giving her team the 3-2 lead.

“I just wanted to get a good pitch, hit it hard, and score the runs because I knew our pitching staff would be able to hold the lead,” Ellison said

Chapel Cunningham added one more insurance run in the sixth with a single up the middle, concluding the four run inning.

A groundout, popout, and strikeout by Sekinger in the bottom of the seventh secured the Fire victory and a spot in the final four.

Sekinger advanced to 25-6 on the season with a complete game, allowing just five hits and two earned runs and striking out seven Wildcat hitters.

“I felt really strong on the mound, especially with my changeup, and I knew my team had my back the whole time and they pulled through,” Skinner said

The Fire will now play tomorrow at 4 p.m. against the winner of Freed-Hardeman and Science and Arts.

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LEWISTON, Idaho -They had been there before, just not in the World Series.

Southeastern was down six runs after five innings and came back for a 9-7 win over the defending national champions in Georgia Gwinnett in their first game of the 2022 Avista NAIA World Series.

Sam Faith’s two-out, two-run homer to center in the bottom of the ninth sealed the dramatic comeback.

“It doesn’t matter who we are playing, we’re just ecstatic to be out here,” said Faith. “I had a lot of guys picking me up after my second strikeout and that flipped me around because you can’t go far if you don’t have a team that backs you like the guys we do.”

The Grizzlies (46-15) took a 2-0 lead on a pair of two-out solo homers in the first and racked up four more during the fifth on four hits and an error.

Southeastern responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double by Thomas Broyles and a sacrifice fly by Brian Fuentes. Gary Lora got the team within a run with a three-run homer to center to complete the five-run inning.

Broyles scored on a throwing error when GGC attempted to turn a double play in the seventh to tie the game and Faith gave the Fire their first lead of the night on an RBI single.

A throwing error in the eighth allowed the Grizzlies to tie the game, but also set the stage for Faith.

Abdel Guadalupe doubled to lead off the inning for his team-best third hit of the game and Faith’s homer gave the Fire their 55^th win in 58 games.

In eight postseason games this season, Faith is hitting .516 with three home runs and 11 RBIs after his 2-for-5 night.

Alex Munroe picked up the win, going an inning and a third scoreless in relief of Robb Adams. Adams tossed 133 pitches over 7.2 innings allowing four earned on seven hits with 10 strikeouts.

Southeastern will now face LSU Shreveport on Monday at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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COLUMBUS, Ga.– With their backs against the wall, the Southeastern University Fire fought to keep their World Series dreams alive as they defeated Oregon Tech tonight by a score of 3-2 to remain one of the six teams still in the National Tournament.

The Fire quickly fell behind the Owls after a single, walk, and wild pitch allowed the first run in the top of the first.

In the bottom of the second, Ashley Ellison doubled into right center and would come around to score off of a Chapel Cunningham single and a throwing error, tying the contest at one.

The must-win contest would remain tied until Erica Stahl once again played hero, driving her sixth long ball of the season over the left field wall for two more Fire runs.

“My approach was just to pick a good pitch, swing at it, and move the runner,” Stahl said.

The Owls would make it a one-run game in the top of the seventh after a double and two singles but a fly out would strand the tying and go-ahead run on base, securing the Fire’s narrow 3-2 victory.

Autumn Hunter went five innings allowing one run on four hits while Claire Sekingerwas granted the win after going two innings, giving up one more run on four more hits and striking out two.

Cunningham ended the contest going 2-3 while Stahl collected the Fire’s two RBI’s.

The Fire will now face off against Indiana Wesleyan on Monday at 1 p.m.

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COLUMBUS, Ga. – Two runs were all that was needed for the second-seeded Oklahoma City to send Southeastern University to the losers bracket as they took the Fire’s second World Series contest by a score of 2-0.
 
The Stars claimed their first run in the bottom of the second after back-to-back hits and a sacrifice fly into center field.
 
One inning later, OCU again led off the inning with back-to-back hits and grabbed their second run off of a throwing error.
 
Shelbey Cornelson would go on to concede just two hits to the Fire to close the 2-0 victory and advance her team to 51-6 on the season.
 
Claire Sekinger fell to 23-6 on the season after giving up one earned run on five hits and striking out four.
 
The Fire will now await the winner of Tennessee Wesleyan and Oregon Tech for their 6 p.m. losers bracket contest tomorrow.

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COLUMBUS, Ga.– The Southeastern University softball team kicked off the NAIA World Series in dramatic fashion today after taking a 5-4 victory over Webber International thanks to a one-out, game-ending home run by Haleigh Harrell in the bottom of the seventh.

The 10^th seeded Warriors got on the board first in the top of the third after two walks and a wild pitch allowed the first run of the World Series to cross.

For the second and third time in just over a week, Erica Stahl stepped up in two different big-time moments for her team. In the fourth, back-to-back singles by Jamie Mead and Katie Atkins set up a sacrifice fly scenario for Stahl. The Plant City native would then go on to give her team the lead two innings later with an RBI single up the middle that scored Chapel Cunningham. The Fire would go on to score three runs, all with two outs, in the sixth after Ashley Ellison doubled home a run and Madison Williams followed with an RBI single.

The Fire would need just one out to claim the 4-1 victory but the Warriors would manage to bring three across behind two hits, three walks, and two hit-by-pitches.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Harrell took the second pitch she saw and sent it over the left field fence, concluding the Fire’s 5-4 victory and 50^th win of the season (50-11).

Autumn Hunter threw four complete innings with just one run allowed on three hits and three walks while Claire Sekinger (23-5) was granted the win after going three innings and allowing three earned runs.

Williams ended the day as the lone Fire hitter with multiple hits with Stahl collecting two RBI’s.

The Fire will next face off against the second-seeded team in the tournament and the program with the most World Series Championships in the NAIA, Oklahoma City, tomorrow at a time to be announced.

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KANSAS CITY – The NAIA this week named a pair of graduate students in St. Mary’s Luke Skinner and Southeastern’s Zach Nichols as its National Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week.

Skinner’s 1000m time is the No. 1 NAIA mark this year as well as a school record. His 800m time is the No. 3 NAIA mark this year as well as a school record. He won both events.

Nichols posted a career-best in the Weight Throw and the No. 3 mark nationally this season with a 19.93 to win The Sun Conference title. He also hit the B qualifying standard in the Shot Put to win the event and post a 20-point day and help the Fire win their second consecutive Sun Conference Indoor championship.

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KANSAS CITY — The Southeastern University women’s basketball team moved up one spot in today’s edition of the NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
 
That’s all it was able to move up because the Fire were ranked second in the previous poll.
 
Southeastern is ranked at the top of the poll for the third time in the last five seasons, checking in with an overall record of 24-1 and have been victorious in their last 20 games.
 
Offensively, SEU averages 84.9 points per game which is fourth nationally, and is second nationally in field goal percentage at 48.5%. On defense, Southeastern is sixth nationally in steals per game at 14.4.
 
Grad transfer Angela Perry is averaging just shy of 20 points per game. Leilah Vigil has added 13 points per game and Marta Aranda another 10.7.
 
The Fire return to the floor on Thursday at St. Thomas.

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AVE MARIA, Fla. –  In a back and forth contest, the No. 2 ranked Southeastern University women’s basketball team grabbed their 20^th win of the season with a 55-51 victory over Sun Conference opponent, Ave Maria University to advance to 20-1 and 9-0 in SUN play.
 
the Fire got on the board first with Angela Perry’s first points of the contest but seven consecutive points by the Gyrenes gave them a 7-2 advantage four minutes into the first quarter. After four more lead changes through the remainder of the quarter, the Gyrenes had the 17-16 advantage going into the second quarter after the Fire struggled from distance going 1-6 from beyond the arc.
 
Four consecutive points by Marta Aranda tilted the scales back in favor of the Fire as they took the 20-17 edge early in the second quarter. The Gyrenes continued their strong showing from three point range with back-to-back baskets to tie things up at 25 with just under five minutes to play before the half. The teams continued to battle with neither being able to grab the advantage heading into the locker room as they concluded the first 20 minutes with a 29-29 tie.
 
The Fire began to pull away from the Gyrenes in the third quarter after putting together an 8-0 run with Leilah Vigil contributing to five of those eight points. The late quarter run allowed the Fire a 45-38 lead heading into the final quarter after shooting 50% from the field and from beyond the arc. The fourth quarter saw the Fire lead by as much as nine but multiple missed opportunities by the Gyrenes with the clock winding down lent the Fire the 55-51 victory.
 
Leilah Vigil led the Fire in points and rebounds and recorded her first double-double of the season after recording 14 points and 11 rebounds. Angela Perry ended the night with 12 points while Rebecca Cook ended a strong defensive showing with eight rebounds, three steals, and four blocks.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Southeastern University redshirt sophomore Wyatt Kirkham was named the NAIA Wrestler of the Week for his work on Saturday to help the Fire defeat No. 15 Hastings.
 
The Stuart native defeated third-ranked Taygen Smith in his 165-pound match during the Fire Duals to help SEU to a 37-9 victory and improve to 10-2 on the year. Kirkham took a 3-2 lead to start the third after choosing bottom and being given an escape. He then had to fight off multiple shots by the returning All-American before scoring a takedown with 37 seconds left to come away with a 5-2 win and improve to 11-7 on the year.
 
Kirkham is just the second Fire wrestler since 2015 to earn this award, joining current graduate assistant Olson Delisca on November 22, 2017.
 
Southeastern returns to action this weekend at the Missouri Valley Invitational.

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LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 7 Southeastern finished the Fire Duals with a 2-0 record, knocking off Keiser and No. 15 Hastings both by the scores of 37-6.
 
Against Keiser, the Fire picked up a forfeit at 197, and a pin by Trillyon Fils-Aime at 184. Sal Silvastarted the match with an 18-3 technical fall at 157. Stephen Kelle (174), and Kael Brisker (141) also scored techs.
 
In the match against Hastings, the Broncos took the first match and a 3-0 lead after a tough loss for Trace Braun who got the first takedown of the match but followed with an upset win by Wyatt Kirkham over No. 3 and returning All-American Taygen Smith by the count of 5-2. With the bout tied 2-2 going to the third, Kirkham was given an escape to start the period and fended off numerous shots by Smith and ultimately scored on a takedown with 36 seconds remaining and rode out the match for the win.
 
“I knew that I needed to stick with my leg attacks and I would be alright,” Kirkham said. “It gives me more confidence because it’s pretty much my first year wrestling in college after redshirting and coming back from an injury, so it feels good to finally be able to wrestle.”
 
Gage Braun picked up another win at 285, coming away with a technical fall, as did Xavier Williamsonat 133.
 
“I thought they were two good team wins and pretty unique we finished with the same score,” said coach Travis Patrick. “We had a ton of good matches across the board, even in losses.”
 
The Fire will head to the Missouri Valley Invitational next weekend in Marshall, Mo.  
 
SOUTHEASTERN 37, KEISER 6
157 – Salvador Silva (Southeastern) over George Zertopoulis (Keiser University ) TF 18-3
165 – Dominick Lomazzo (Southeastern) over Adam El-Damir (Keiser University ) Dec 6-4
174 – Stephen Kelle (Southeastern) over Mitchell Clark (Keiser University ) TF 17-2
184 – Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern) over Brett Bosserman (Keiser University ) Fall 2:55
197 – Blake Rypel (Southeastern) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
285 – Earnest Johnson (Keiser University ) over Caleb Hardeman (Southeastern) Dec 6-2
125 – Isaac Crowell (Southeastern) over Riley Stevens (Keiser University ) Dec 6-0
133 – Bryce Gonzalez (Keiser University ) over Michael Bush (Southeastern) Dec 4-1
141 – Kael Brisker (Southeastern) over James Berline (Keiser University ) TF 21-6
149 – Andreus Bond (Southeastern) over Carlos Bogan (Keiser University ) Maj 19-5
 
SOUTHEASTERN 37, HASTINGS 6
157 – Thomas Stevenson (Hastings (Neb.)) over Trace Braun (Southeastern) Dec 9-4
165 – Wyatt Kirkham (Southeastern) over Taygen Smith (Hastings (Neb.)) Dec 5-2
174 – Trenton Munoz (Hastings (Neb.)) over Stephen Kelle (Southeastern) Dec 8-2
184 – Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern) over Dominick Leon (Hastings (Neb.)) Dec 6-0
197 – Blake Rypel (Southeastern) over Riley Dement (Hastings (Neb.)) Fall 0:26
285 – Gage Braun (Southeastern) over Henry Jones (Hastings (Neb.)) TF 16-1
125 – Isaac Crowell (Southeastern) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
133 – Xavier Williamson (Southeastern) over Andy Rojas (Hastings (Neb.)) TF 21-4
141 – Kael Brisker (Southeastern) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
149 – Maxwell Kauffman (Southeastern) over Dylan Crawford (Hastings (Neb.)) Dec 9-4

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