The Ave Maria University baseball team fell in both games of a Saturday doubleheader with the University of South Carolina-Beaufort, dropping all three Sun Conference games to the Sand Sharks. Ave lost opener 7-2 and the nightcap, 6-3.
 
GAME ONE RECAP:
 
A big sixth inning doomed the Gyrenes in the opener, surrendering the decisive five runs in that frame to fall 7-2 to the Sand Sharks.
 
The Gyrenes struck first in the doubleheader's opener, as a leadoff error turned into a run. RJ Warnock reached base on an error, and then advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw. From there, Ave Maria manufactured the run with a flyout to right from Christian Sanchez moving Warnock to third and an RBI single from Conor Sullivan driving in the run.
 
The lead held until the sixth inning due to the efforts of starter Austin Munn. In each of the first five innings, Munn allowed a baserunner, and four times faced a hitter with a runner in scoring position. Through five, Munn had allowed just two hits and had held the Sand Sharks scoreless.
 
USC-Beaufort finally broke through in the sixth inning, putting a five-spot on the board, all with two outs. Against Munn and reliever Jesse Crosno, the Sand Sharks recorded four hits, drew two walks, and had the help of the Gyrene error. The major hit came from leadoff hitter Matt Kianka, who hit a two-run single to extend the USC-Beaufort lead to 4-1. Kianka was a menace at the top of the order, reaching base in each of his five plate appearances- three hits and two walks.
 
Trailing 5-1, Ave Maria rebounded with a run in the bottom of the seventh. Rico Soto, who went 2-for-4, clubbed a double down the left field line. Soto then crossed the plate on an RBI single by Ryan Keegan, who was stranded on second.
 
The scoring concluded in the bottom of the eighth, as cleanup hitter Kal Davis singled with two outs, scoring John Cloyd and Kianka.
 
Matt Wiles had a solid day at the plate for the Gyrenes, going two for three with a pair of singles. Austin Comesanas made his Ave Maria debut with a scoreless ninth inning on the mound.
 
Munn took the loss for the Gyrenes, his first decision in four starting outings. USC-Beaufort righty Jamie Strock, who retired 12 consecutive Gyrenes at one point, was the winning pitcher.
 
GAME TWO RECAP:
 
The Gyrenes fell behind early, and never recovered in a 6-3 loss to the Sand Sharks in the series finale. USCB starter Julio DePena struck out 13 hitters, working 8.2 innings for the Sand Sharks. Ave Maria starter Andrew Steele suffered the loss.
 
After two scoreless innings, USC-Beaufort struck in the top of the third. A leadoff double from Michael Johnson and a bunt single from John Cloyd put runners on first and third with no outs. Leadoff hitter Matt Kianka then hit a sacrifice fly to score Johnson and give the Sand Sharks a 1-0 lead. The advantage expanded to two runs on an RBI single from Max Balter.
 
The lead was extended to five runs in the top of the fifth. Thomas Estopare walked with one out, one of the five times he was on base in the finale. Estopare then scored on a double from Kal Davis. A walk to Dylan Yankle eventually led to two more runs as both Davis and Yankle scored on a two-out error.
 
Ave Maria got on the board with a pair of runs in the sixth inning.
Nick Wydler singled to begin the inning. After two of the 14 strikeouts delivered to Ave Maria hitters, Christian Sanchez reached on an error that allowed Wydler to score. Conor Sullivan then drove in the second Gyrene run of the game on a single.
 
USC-Beaufort answered with a run in the top of the eighth. A one-out double from Estopare led to a run on a single from Davis. The Sand Sharks scoring was completed, as Ave Maria's Justin Bureau worked a scoreless ninth inning.
 
AMU scored a final run in the bottom of the ninth, as a Rico Soto double turned into the third run of the game on a single by Ryan Keegan. Keegan led the Gyrene offense with three hits, including a seventh-inning double.  Blake Drew recorded the final out of the game, a strikeout, to earn a save.
 
Ave Maria plays three midweek games this coming week, starting with games on Monday and Tuesday in Jacksonville against Edward Waters. The week continues in Daytona Beach on Wednesday against Embry-Riddle, and finishes back in Ave Maria for a weekend set with Spring Arbor on Friday and Saturday at Bowie's Ballpark.