AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria baseball team scored a run in each of the last three innings to defeat previously unbeaten Warner 10-9 in both team's Sun Conference opener. The two squads will play the final two games of the three-game series tomorrow with first pitch of the doubleheader at 11 a.m. at Bowie's Ballpark.
 
The Royals struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first only to see the Gyrenes tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. Tully Allen hit his first career homerun to lead off the bottom of the first followed by an RBI single by Ryan Keegan to drive in Matt Wiles to even the game.
 
The Blue and Green tacked on four runs in the third highlighted by Luis Dominguez's three-run home run. Dominguez drove in another run in the fifth on an RBI double to left to plate Nick Wydler  to make it 7-2 AMU.
 
After giving up a couple runs in the top of the first, Andrew Steele settled in and threw four consecutive scoreless frames before Warner's bats came alive in the sixth. The Royals scored five runs on four hits in the inning to tie the game at seven.
 
AMU regained the lead in the seventh with an RBI single by Steven Valentine to drive in Keegan. After Warner took the lead in the top of the eighth on a two-RBI double, Ave Maria levelled the score in the bottom half of the inning when Keegan drew a bases-loaded walk.
 
Tied at nine in the ninth, Valentine led off the inning with a single to left center. Pinch runner Justin Hartshorne made his way to third after a sac bunt, fly out, and wild pitch to bring up Allen with two outs. Allen, who led off the game with a solo home run, closed it out with a slow chopper to third that the Warner third baseman was unable to come up with, allowing Hartshorne to scored and AMU to come away with a 10-9 win.
 
Six Gyrenes recorded multiple hits as AMU finished with 15 hits on the afternoon, seven of which went for extra-bases. Allen was 3-for-6 with two runs and two RBI while Dominguez finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and a key sac bunt. Ryan Keegan was 3-for-4 with two hits and an RBI. Valentine also tallied two RBI.
 
Steele started the game and pitched 5.1 inning and allowed seven run on nine hits. The Gyrene bullpen allowed two runs in 3.2 innings of work.
 
Joe Soto picked up the win, striking out two and walking one in 1.1 scoreless innings. Soto came in to pitch in the top of the eighth with a runner on third and struck out the six-hole hitter Troncoso for Warner, who had a home run earlier in the game. After a leadoff walk in the ninth, he retired the next three Royals to send the game to the bottom half of the inning tied.