Miami Gardens, FL -- The Ave Maria University baseball team could not complete a comeback on Friday afternoon, coming up short in a Sun Conference battle with Florida Memorial University, 5-2. The game was the first of a scheduled three game series in Miami Gardens.
 
The host Lions jumped out to the lead in the bottom of the second inning, recording two runs against Gyrene starter Austin Munn. A one-out single by Lance Mansfield was sandwiched by a pair of groundouts. Florida Memorial broke the scoreless tie when Raymond Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to left center field.
 
Florida Memorial stretched the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third.
Pablo Delgado hit a leadoff single, and advanced to third base on an AMU throwing error. Delgado crossed the plate on a subsequent groundout by Sergio Chil.
 
Another run scored for the Lions in the bottom of the fifth inning, increasing the FMU lead to 4-0. The run production came with two outs, as Chil drove in Argenis Hernandez on a single. Hernandez had reached on a one-out single.
 
Ave Maria battled back with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh frame. Ryan Keegan was hit by the third pitch of the inning, and a one-out single by Mason Dinesen put runners on first and second.
Dinesen was then forced out at second on a fielder's choice, which moved Keegan to third and put Brody Howe at first. Back-to-back singles from Steven Valentine and Matt Wiles drove in the two Ave Maria runs, which moved the visiting Gyrenes within 4-2. Valentine was the sole Gyrene with two hits in the losing effort.
 
A run in the bottom of the eighth added some insurance for Florida Memorial, and supplied the final three run margin.
 
The series between Ave Maria and Florida Memorial continues Saturday afternoon on the east coast, as the conference rivals face off in a doubleheader. The opening game of the twinbill is scheduled for noon.