Sterlington, La. - The No. 14 Central Methodist baseball program fell to defending national champion and No. 1 nationally ranked Southeastern (Fla.) on the final day of the Cajun Collision Saturday afternoon in Sterlington, La. 

Trailing 6-1 in the entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Central scored four runs to trim the Fire's lead to 6-5. Bobby Nichols started the scoring with an RBI double to bring home Tanner Sears. 

Central scored two more runs on back-to-back wild pitches from Southeastern, before Robbie Merced doubled to score Joseph Weatherford. 

The Fire broke the game open with five runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh. 

Central's final runs of the game came off the bat of Merced, who hit a two run home run to left field in the seventh. Southeastern would go on to win the game, 12-7. 

Nichols led the offense batting three-for-three with a walk, a double, and a stolen base. Sears and Merced each tallied two hits, highlighted by a double and two-run home run for Merced. 

Marcus Pritchard got the start on the bump, tossing three innings and giving up five earned runs on six hits. Alfred Ulloa, Justin Guzman, Alexander Billo, Joshua Tucker, and Larry Riddle Jr. also saw action.

The Eagles are now 5-3 and will turn their attention to the Joplin Invitational, where they will take on Hastings College Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2:30 p.m. in Joplin, Mo. 

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