The Ave Maria University baseball team lost a pair of games to Keiser University in Sun Conference play, dropping a sweep to the Seahawks with losses of 8-3 and 17-6 on Saturday afternoon at Bowie's Ballpark in Ave Maria.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
The Gyrenes found themselves in an early hole, and never dug their way out in an 8-3 loss at the hands of the Seahawks. Keiser never trailed in the game, which saw the Seahawks take the lead in the first inning.
 
Keiser put three runs on the scoreboard in the opening frame. Brad Myott opened the scoring with a double that plated Dylan Dore. Myott's double was followed by a sacrifice fly from Carlos Lopez allowing Keivan Berges to score. Tyler Goff finished the first inning scoring with a single that sent courtesy runner Tyler Hitt across the plate.
 
The game remained 3-0 until the fifth inning, when the Seahawks extended the lead to six runs. Jonathan Cata scored on a wild pitch after a single to start the inning. Miguel Casanueva followed with a sacrifice fly, and Dore gave the Seahawks a 6-0 lead with an RBI single.
 
Ave Maria cut the lead to four in the bottom of the fifth with their first two runs. Matt Wiles started the inning by reaching on an error, and Jack Yvars followed with a single. An RBI groundout from RJ Warnock put the Gyrenes on the board, and a single from Rico Soto trimmed the Keiser advantage to 6-2.
 
The Seahawks' scoring ended in the sixth with two more runs. The bases were walked loaded to start the inning, and a run came in when reliever Austin Comesanas induced a double play ball. A Jack Curtis single made Keiser's lead 8-2.
 
Keiser was held off the board for the remainder of the game by relievers Tommy Craparo and Zack Rose, who combined on three shutout innings out of the bullpen.
 
AMU's part of the scoring ended in the eighth inning with an RBI double from Ryan Keegan, which scored Soto.
 
Gyrene starter Andrew Steele was charged with the loss, and Kyle Keatts earned the win for Keiser.
 
GAME TWO RECAP:
Ave Maria rallied from an early deficit, but a late surge allowed the Seahawks to claim the series sweep. Keiser scored ten unanswered runs in the 17-6 win, amassing 21 hits in the process.
 
For the third game in a row, Keiser scored in the first inning. The Gyrenes were again terrorized by Keivan Berges, who hit his thirteenth home run, and third of the series. The solo shot put the Seahawks up 1-0.
 
The Gyrenes answered with one of their own in the bottom of the first.
Jack Yvars singled to lead off the frame, and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw. Consecutive groundouts then brought Yvars in, culminating with the RBI from Rico Soto.
 
Keiser pulled ahead for good in the top of the fourth with four runs.
A throwing error allowed the first two runs to score, with a sacrifice fly from Dylan Dore and a single by Andrew Danner supplying the other two runs.
 
The Seahawks added two more runs in the fifth on a Miguel Casanueva fielder's choice and a Jonathan Cata single.
 
AMU was not done, and scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within one run. The first six hitters of the frame reached, and each of the first five scored. Conor Sullivan, who went 4-for-5 in the nightcap, drove in RJ Warnock after the latter's leadoff double. Ryan Keegan and Andy Hernandez added RBI singles, and a balk and a Max Nell groundout cut the Keiser lead to one run through five innings.
 
However, two bursts led the Seahawks to the commanding victory. A five run sixth inning and a five run ninth buried the Gyrenes in the final game of the series.
 
Bruno DeZayas was the losing pitcher for Ave Maria, and Damian Boyum picked up the win in relief.
 
The Gyrenes will be on the road for the next two weeks, beginning on Thursday when Ave Maria battles Rollins College.