Matchup: (rv) Keiser University Seahawks (No. 3 Seed) vs No. 14 Southeastern (No.2 Seed)
Records: Keiser Seahawks
(35-16)
vs. Southeastern Fire (37-15)
Score: Keiser 1, Southeastern 6
Pitchers of Record: W: A. Peddycoart (5-1), L:
K. Keyes (6-2)
Time of Game: 6:40 PM
JetBlue Park - Fort Myers Fla.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Despite a gutsy complete-game effort from starter Kyle Keyes and a competitive showing throughout, Keiser fell to Southeastern (Fla.) 6-1 Friday night at JetBlue Park in conference tournament play.
Keyes went the distance for the Seahawks, holding Southeastern to six runs — four earned — on eight hits over nine innings. He battled all night but was victimized by a relentless Southeastern running game that stole nine bases against the Keiser battery.
Southeastern struck first with a four-run first inning. Armani Cozza led off with a single to right and stole second before Cade Parry was hit by a pitch. With both runners moving again — Cozza to third and Parry to second — Cooper Ciesielski singled to center to score them both. Ciesielski then stole second, and Charlie Collins followed with an RBI double to left-center to make it 3-0, with Collins advancing to third on a center field error. David Flores capped the inning with a sacrifice fly, scoring Collins for an unearned fourth run.
Keiser got on the board in the fifth when Elian Collado drew a walk, stole second and third, and scored on a Tad Brooks groundout to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Southeastern added two more in the sixth. Ciesielski led off with a solo home run to left-center, and after Collins reached on a third baseman error and stole second and third, Cort Pryor singled to pitcher to score him — an unearned run — pushing the lead to 6-1. Keiser threatened in the bottom half, putting runners on second and third before Givens-Craig came on and stranded them both to end the inning.
The Seahawks continued to battle, putting runners on first and second with nobody out in the eighth, but Brody McMullen came on in relief and struck out three straight to escape the jam. McMullen was dominant over the final three innings, striking out five batters while allowing no runs.
Jeremy Garcia and Elian Collado each recorded hits to pace the Keiser offense, with Collado scoring the Seahawks' lone run after drawing a walk and stealing two bases.
The Seahawks will look to bounce back in the elimination game versus Webber International tomorrow at 10:00 AM.
- With the loss, Keiser moves to 35–16 overall
- The Seahawks are now 20–22 all-time in the Sun Conference Tournament
- Kyle Keyes threw the complete game, going all nine innings and throwing 128 pitches
- Keiser stranded 12 runners on base, going 0-for-13 with runners on base throughout the night
- Keiser committed four errors, which directly contributed to two of Southeastern's six runs being unearned
- Elian Collado scored Keiser's only run after drawing a walk and stealing both second and third base
- Tad Brooks drove in Keiser's only run with a groundout in the fifth inning
- Keiser's offense struck out 11 times against the Southeastern pitching staff
- Keiser went 0-for-9 with two outs, leaving multiple scoring opportunities on the table throughout the game
The Seahawks will play the No-1 Seed Webber International tomorrow, starting at 10:00 AM at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers.
