Ave Maria -- The Ave Maria University baseball team fell victim to a late-inning rally on Wednesday afternoon, and suffered a 8-7 loss to No. 11 Keiser University at Bowie's Ballpark. Keiser scored three runs in the eighth to force extra innings, and won the game with a run in the eleventh.
Keiser got on the board first on Wednesday afternoon, and did not need a hit to do so. Gabby Mundo reached on an error with one out in the top of the third, and consecutive walks loaded the bases for the Seahawks. Keiser drew first blood when Carlos Pena flied out to right to score Mundo, but starter Sergio Miyares would strand the other two runners.
Ave Maria responded in a big way in the bottom of the third, putting up five runs and chasing starter Keivan Berges from the ballgame.
Eight of the first nine hitters during the frame reached safely, including seven on hits. Five Gyrenes recorded run scoring singles during the inning- Miles Stevens, Tully Allen, Rico Soto, Mason Dinesen, and Brody Howe. Berges exited the game after Howe's single made it 5-1 Gyrenes.
The visiting Seahawks got a run back in the top of the fourth inning.
Keiser again loaded the bases with one out, doing so with a single and two walks. Mundo drove in Dylan Dore with a single, but Ave Maria reliever Jake Davey was able to strike out a hitter and induce a pop out to end the threat and leave the bases loaded. Davey was able to retire eight straight upon entering the game.
AMU pushed the lead back to four with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Steven Valentine, who had three hits in the losing effort, singled with one out in the frame, and a hit by pitch to Matt Wiles put runners on first and second. Stevens came through with his second RBI single of the game, a hit that put Ave's lead at 6-2.
Two runs from Keiser threatened the Gyrenes in the top of inning number seven. The Seahawks had the bases loaded for the third time after two walks and a single. Pinch hitter Tyler Goff drove in Tivon Faneyte and Berges with a single, but the Gyrenes were able to escape the inning with a 6-4 lead.
Once again, the Gyrenes were able to increase the lead after a Seahawk salvo. This effort came via a run in the bottom of the seventh. Rico Soto walked and Ryan Keegan singled to put runners on first and third.
On a delayed steal, Keegan was able to take second while Soto crossed the plate on an errant throw from the catcher.
Keiser tied the game in the top of the eight inning with three runs.
Consecutive doubles by Carlos Pena and Jack Curtis tied the game after Faneyte and Berges each hit one-out singles. Matt Leslie was able to keep the game tied, and neither team scored in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Jeremy Kennedy, the Keiser head coach, was ejected in the bottom of the eighth inning after arguing a illegal pitch that allowed Wiles to draw ball four.
The Seahawks' decisive run in the top of the eleventh started with consecutive walks, and Keiser added a hit by pitch to load the bases with one out. Zack Saldivar drove in the game-winning run with a single to center.
Ave Maria moves from one ranked team to another, as the Gyrenes welcome No. 4 Southeastern University to Bowie's Ballpark. The three-game series begins with a single game Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 2 pm.
