Ave Maria, FL -- The Ave Maria University baseball team was unable to rally from a 6-0 deficit, and fell for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon to the Edward Waters College Tigers. Edward Waters salvaged the final game of the series with the 9-3 victory, but the Gyrenes still claimed the series for the second weekend in a row.
 
The offense started early for Edward Waters, who scored a pair of runs in the top of the first. Juan Bracamonte and Jordan Pontious both singled with one out, and a double steal put them on second and third.
Bracamonte scored on a Miguel Beltre groundout, and Pontious crossed the plate on a two-out single by Alberto Rivera.
 
Edward Waters extended the lead to 5-0 in the top of the fourth.
Rivera started the frame with a double off the left field wall, and moved to third base with a steal. After a walk and a strikeout delivered by eventual losing pitcher Christian Dufresne, Jacob Frankie and Carlos Cabrera each drove in a run with a single. A third run in the inning was recorded via wild pitch.
 
Bracamonte scored his second run of the game in the top of the fifth, walking and advancing to third on two wild pitches. Pontious gave Edward Waters a 6-0 lead with an RBI single.
 
Ave Maria's offensive output was provided in the fifth inning. Ryan Keegan led off with a single, and Mason Dinesen followed with a one-out single. Ryan Cook drove in the opening run with a double, and fellow freshman Brody Howe singled to drive in another. Tully Allen cut the Tiger lead to three runs with an RBI groundout. Howe and Keegan were Ave Maria's offensive leaders on the day, each recording a pair of hits in the losing effort.
 
The Tigers put the game away with three runs in the top of the ninth, helped by a pair of Gyrene errors. Pontious, Beltre, and Ricardo Mateo drove in the three runs to account for the 9-3 final score. Pontious was Edward Waters' leader with four singles, two runs batted in, and two runs scored. Starter Richard Edwards picked up the win, and Travis Coleman earned a four-inning save.
 
AMU plays their first midweek game of the season on Wednesday, travelling across Alligator Alley for a meeting with Barry University.
The Gyrenes then return home to face St. Thomas University in the Sun Conference opener on Friday at Bowie's Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.