The Ave Maria University baseball team dropped its conference opener Friday night at Heart of Florida Field in Babson Park, falling 12-8 to the Webber International Warriors.
 
After three scoreless innings from starters Christian Dufresne and Colin Richardson, the Warriors struck first with a three-run fourth-inning. A walk and a double to left center field led off the inning, and Jordan Thomas scored the game's first run on a fielder's choice. After another walk, consecutive singles by Taylor Laynor and Sjaghbar Martis gave Webber a 3-0 lead.
 
The Gyrenes battled back in the next two innings, scoring a run in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Conor Sullivan hit a double with two outs in the frame. Pinch runner Tom Filus then scored on an RBI single from Rico Soto.
 
Ave Maria added another in the top of the sixth to pull the Webber lead to 3-2. Andy Hernandez hit the first AMU home run of the season, a solo shot to left center field.
 
However, the Warriors broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth with six runs on six hits. Two Gyrene errors helped the Webber cause, and the biggest hit of the inning came on a bases loaded single from Ramon Sanchez, which scored two runs and gave the Warriors an 8-2 lead.
 
Despite trailing 9-2, the Gyrenes kept fighting and put another run on the board in the top of the seventh. With one out, Ave loaded the bases, and a single from Jack Yvars allowed Rico Soto to score the third Gyrene run. Yvars recorded three hits, all singles, in the losing effort.
 
Ave left the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth innings, allowing the Warriors to escape potential damage.
 
The Warriors tacked on another three runs in the bottom of the eighth to account for the victorious 12 runs. A single from Thomas and a two-run single from Sanchez supplied the runs in the eighth.
 
Ave Maria attempted an improbable rally in the top of the ninth, scoring five runs to come within 12-8.  An error off the bat of RJ Warnock allowed Jack Yvars and Max Nell to score. A hit by pitch and another error loaded the bases for the Gyrenes, and Rico Soto walked to draw the Webber lead to 12-6. A double from Ryan Keegan put the Gyrenes within 12-8, but that was as close as it would get.
 
Out of the bullpen, Andrew Giddens was a bright spot for Ave Maria, working a perfect seventh inning. Dufresne took the loss for the Gyrenes, while Richardson picked up the victory.
 
The three game series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader. The opening pitch of the first game is scheduled for noon in Babson Park.