Gyrenes Split With Clarke

Ave Maria, Fla.—On the final day of an packed spring break schedule, the Ave Maria baseball team was able to earn a double header split with Clarke College. Both games were high scoring affairs as Clarke took the first game 14-6 and the Gyrenes came back and grabbed game two from the Crusaders, 8-6.

GAME 1 RECAP
In game one, Clarke hammered Gyrene pitching early, scoring two runs in the first inning, four in the second, seven in the fourth and one in the fifth. Gabe Wingert (Sloan, Ia.) and Kairee Tekra (Cleveland, Oh.) were the top Crusader offensive performers in game one with three RBIs a piece.

For the Gyrenes, Rico Soto (Naples, Fla.) and Ryan Keegan (Estero, Fla.) were two of the offensive bright spots. Soto was three for three with a home run and two doubles and had three RBIs and Keegan added a late solo home run.

The final score of game one was 14-6 as Anthony Flynn (Mount Sinai, NY) earned his first win of the season for Clarke.

GAME 2 RECAP
Game two saw action right from the start as Clarke was able to plate three runs in the top of the first inning. Ave Maria would have an quick answer as they scored two runs in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double from Rico Soto and Billy Pryor (Cape Coral, Fla.) took home on a wild pitch.

After Clarke tacked on a run in the second and another in the third to take a 5-2 lead, the Gyrene offensive took over the game in the middle innings.

Aaron Pigna (Miami, Fla.) and Kellen Creech (Jacksonville, Fla.) each had an RBI double in the third to make the score 5-4 in the third. In the fourth, Ryan Keegan scored on a passed ball and Tucker Starkey (Mayville, Ky.) sent a sacrifice fly to right center to give AMU the lead. Max Nell (Punta Gorda, Fla.) added to the lead in the fifth with  a big solo home run to left center and Tommy Lentine tacked on one last RBI in the seventh to make the score 8-5.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Clarke would bring the go ahead run to the plate but the rally was shut down by Christian Dufresne (Rockledge, Fla.), who earned his first save of the season. Austin Comesanas (Miami, Fla.) gave Ave Maria two strong innings of middle relief, going two innings and striking out four. Starting pitcher Joseph Bernhard (Palm Coast, Fla.) picked up his first win of the season for the blue and green.

UP NEXT: The Gyrenes return to Sun Conference play tomorrow as they travel to Miami for the start of a three game series with Florida Memorial Universtiy. First pitch of game one is set for Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.at FMU and play will continue with a double header starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday. For updates and scores on all the action, please visit avemariagyrenes.com.

By Sean Buchanan | sean.buchanan@avemaria.edu