THOMASVILLE, Ga.- The Ave Maria University baseball team rallied to force extra innings in Saturday's Sun Conference finale against Thomas University, but eventually dropped a 6-5 decision to the Night Hawks in eleven innings. The Gyrenes fell short despite outhitting Thomas 12-7.

Ave Maria scored first in the last Sun Conference game of the season, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Ryan Keegan and Rico Soto hit back-to-back singles, and Steven Valentine followed with a single of his own to give Ave a 1-0 lead. After a strikeout, Eduardo Rodriguez recorded the fourth single of the inning to score Soto, pushing the Gyrene lead to 2-0.

Thomas countered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 4-2 lead. Leadoff hitter Jake Webb was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and runner Jarrod Beegle proceeded to steal second base. An RBI single from Chase Hinson got the Night Hawks on the board, with a walk and another stolen base leading to a sacrifice fly from Taylor Westbrook. Back-to-back RBI singles from Gavin Murphy and Logan Boyette accounted for the third and fourth runs of the frame.

Keegan and Soto continued their hot hitting in the top of the second, tying the game at four. Chris Wydler started the frame with a single and a stolen base, and Matt Wiles walked to put runners on first and second. The two runners scored on consecutive singles from Keegan and Soto. 

The 5-5 tie held until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Thomas retook the lead. The Night Hawks drew two consecutive walks with one out in the inning, and Justin Young followed with an RBI single to give the hosts a 5-4 lead.

With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Ave Maria got the needed run to force extra innings. Keegan led off the inning with a single, and was bunted to second base by Nick Wydler. After a groundout moved pinch-runner Daniel Davis to third base, Luis Dominguez came up with the clutch single to tie the game at five.

After a scoreless tenth inning and top of the eleventh, Thomas walked off for the victory in the bottom of the eleventh. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Night Hawks, and a sacrifice fly from Webb drove in Boyette for the winning run.

Andrew Steele took a tough-luck no decision for the Gyrenes, going eight innings with eight strikeouts in his final start. Keegan and Soto combined to go 7-for-8 in their final conference game, including an RBI for both players.

The final game of the 2018 season for the Gyrenes comes on Tuesday, when Ave Maria hosts St. Thomas University at Bowie's Ballpark. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.