The Ave Maria University baseball team was unable to overcome a six-run second inning from Rollins College, and lost Thursday night's contest with the Tars, 18-5. The loss was the eighth straight for the Gyrenes, who dropped to 14-27.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Rollins dealt a decisive opening blow with the six run frame. All six runs were scored with two outs. A Mike Dolan single drove in Christopher Corbett for the first run of the game. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, and a single by Nick Breen put the Tars up 2-0 and kept the bases loaded. Two more runs scored on a Gyrene fielding error, and the scoring concluded on a two-run triple by Skip Kovar.
 
Two doubles allowed the Tars to extend their lead to 9-0 in the bottom of the third. Again with two outs, Thomas Boyajian clubbed a ground rule double and Breen hit a two-bagger of his own for two more runs.
 
The 9-0 lead stayed intact until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Rollins put up three more runs. Mike Purcell and Peter Nicoletto recorded RBI singles, and Dolan connected on a fielder's choice to score Teddy Meissner and plate the 12th run of the ballgame.
 
Ave Maria got on the board in the top of the seventh with five runs. A leadoff single from Steven Valentine started the inning. After two strikeouts, Jack Yvars and RJ Warnock each singled to load the bases.
The bases were then cleared by Rico Soto, who doubled to right center field for the first three Gyrene runs. Soto then scored on a triple by Conor Sullivan, who proceeded to score himself on a Ryan Keegan double before the end of the inning.
 
Rollins responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. A single by Grant Ashline, a sacrifice fly from Purcell, and a wild pitch gave the Tars a 15-5 advantage.
 
The Tars scored their final three runs in the eighth inning on an RBI double by Ashline and a two-run single by Kovar.
 
Breen led the Tars with three hits, and four Gyrenes- Yvars, Warnock, Valentine, and Nick Wydler each recorded two hits.
 
Phillip Tahernia earned the victory for Rollins, while AJ Marcantonio was charged with the defeat for Ave Maria.
 
The Gyrenes are back on the field Friday in Thomasville, Georgia, kicking off a three game series in Sun Conference play with Thomas University.