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LEWISTON, Idaho – All nine offensive starters either scored or drove in at least one run for Southeastern (Fla.) in Saturday’s first game at the 2025 Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, as the Fire needed only seven innings to beat Webber International (Fla.), 15-2.

Southeastern became the first lower seed and first designated visitor to win a game in the 2025 Series, led by Alfonso Villalobos, who was 3-for-4, with three runs and four RBIs, and Connor Hicks, who drove in three in a 2-for-5, two-run game.

Fire starter Reece Wissinger pitched all seven innings and only allowed three Webber hits, moving to 9-0, as Southeastern improved to 45-13. Webber International (44-14) starter Blayne Huter earned just his second loss of the season, falling to 14-2.  

Hicks doubled in Southeastern’s first run, and Villalobos brought Hicks home a batter later, belting a two-run homer over the batter’s eye in center for an early 3-0 lead.

Southeastern added three more in the third, on a wild pitch and singles from David Castillo and Nick Streuer, and in the fourth, Villalobos collected another pair of RBIs, putting the Fire up 9-0 with a two-run single that brought Charlie Collins across for a third time in the game. One batter later, James Strom left no doubt, over the wall in right, a five-run inning that had SEU in front 11-0.

Webber International did get on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Bryan Morales singled in Brandon Sanchez, but Southeastern answered in the next inning, when Jon Paul Pennella became the ninth Fire batter to either drive in or score a run, singling in John Rossi, an insurance run that proved valuable as Webber scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth.

Southeastern’s last offensive surge came in the sixth and seventh, when Rossi singled to knock in two more runs, and an inning later, Hicks launched a solo homer over the wall in center.

The win advances Southeastern to Game 13, Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. PT, where the Fire will meet the winner of Monday’s game between Georgia Gwinnett and Tennessee Wesleyan. Webber International goes to Game 11, taking on the loser of the game between GGC and TWU, Tuesday at 11 a.m. PT.

Both games, and the entire Series, will air on the NAIA Network and Urban Edge Network at www.naia.org/watch.