Baseball Takes Two In Saturday Double Header

By Sean Buchanan | sean.buhanan@avemaria.edu
 
AVE MARIA, FLA. – The Ave Maria University baseball team grabbed two wins against Clearwater Christian College on Saturday afternoon to complete a weekend sweep of the Cougars. The Gyrenes picked up three wins on the on the weekend to pull themselves back to .500 with a 3-3 overall record.

GAME 1 RECAP

Offense was the lead story of game one as the Gyrenes racked up sixteen runs over six frames. After Clearwater jumped out to a quick 1-0, Ave Maria answered back in the bottom of the first inning with three runs, two coming from a two RBI double from Rico Soto (Naples, Fla).

The Cougars struck back with a six run fourth inning but again the Gyrenes would have an answer. Extra base hits from Nick Sacchetta (Naples, Fla.), Ryan Keegan (Estero, Fla.) and Sean Trymbiski (Doylestown, Pa.) would bring five runs to the plate and Bobby Oliver (Naples, Fla.) would add an RBI single of his own.

With a 10-7 lead heading into the bottom half of the fifth, the AMU offense came to life once again. Kellen Creech (Jacksonville, Fla.) tacked on an RBI single and was followed by a barrage big home runs from Ryan Keegan, Sean Trymbiski and Nick Sacchetta bringing the score to 16-7 in favor of the Gyrenes, where it would stay for a final.

Stephen Grove (Naples, Fla.) earned the win on the mound for Ave Maria, while pitchers Andrew Giddens (Bradenton, Fla.) and Christian Dufresne (Rockledge, Fla.) combined for 3.1 innings and seven strikeouts in relief.

GAME 2 RECAP

Following game one's offensive outburst, pitching led the way for the Gyrenes in game two. Starter Zach Quayle (Knoxville, Tenn.) picked up the win, allowing just two hits and striking out three in four innings of work. Senior Ray Messner (Naples, Fla.) followed his fellow southpaw with three strong innings of his own, going three innings and striking out four.

The two combined for Ave Maria's first shutout performance of the season, tossing seven clean innings to blank the Cougars.

Nick Sacchetta and Ryan Keegan provided the offense for Ave Maria, as Sacchetta drove in two and Keegan one, bring the final score to 3-0.

UP NEXT: The Gyrenes will play host to conference opponent Florida Memorial University in a midweek game this Wednesday, February 11^th at 2:30p.m. The matchup with the Lions at Bowie's Ballpark will be Ave Maria's last tune up before beginning conference play next weekend at Northwood.