JUPITER, Fla.- The Ave Maria University baseball team split their first doubleheader of the 2018 season on Saturday, winning their first game against Taylor University 1-0 before dropping a 5-0 decision in the nightcap. The doubleheader capped the first series for head coach Grant Desme as the Gyrene manager, a series that saw two of its three games decided by one run.
In the first game of the doubleheader, a second inning run proved to be the difference as the Gyrenes claimed a 1-0 win over the Trojans.
The game's lone run came in the top of the second inning. Ryan Keegan was hit by a pitch, bringing Luis Dominguez to the plate with no outs. Dominguez singled, and the ensuing throw allowed Keegan to score and moved the batter to second base. Dominguez would be stranded on third, but the Gyrenes had all the offense they would need, with only a Steven Valentine single in the fifth adding to AMU's hit total.
Justin Bureau earned the victory for Ave Maria, tossing five shutout innings. The senior was able to work out of trouble throughout his outing, leaving runners in scoring position in each of his first four innings on the mound.
The bottom of the sixth inning saw Taylor put two runners on with one out, which brought Andrew Giddens into the game. Giddens induced a double play ball to keep AMU's lead 1-0 entering the seventh.
Taylor threatened with runners on first and third with two outs in the seventh, but Giddens was able to get a flyout to end the game, giving him the save and the Gyrenes their first win of the season.
The second game saw Taylor score first in the second inning, add three more runs in the fifth, and cap off their scoring in the sixth. The Gyrenes managed three hits in the losing effort, which were provided by Nick Wydler, Steven Valentine, and Matt Wiles.
A bright spot on the mound in the nightcap was was Kyle Naylor, who pitched three shutout innings with two strikeouts and just one walk.
With the first series of the season in the rearview mirror, the Gyrenes head to Mississippi for four games in Hattiesburg. Ave Maria will play two games against William Carey and two against Georgetown (Ky.) beginning on Friday afternoon.
