WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University baseball team battled the Keiser University Seahawks in non-conference action for the second time in a week on Wednesday afternoon, and fell 14-2 in West Palm Beach. The Gyrenes are now 1-4 on the season, with four games this weekend in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on the campus of William Carey University.
After two scoreless innings, Keiser put four runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. All four runs for the Seahawks were driven in with two outs, as Erik Owen and Mathew Catalfo stood on first and second with two gone in the frame. An RBI single from Drew Reilly accounted for the first Seahawk run of the day, while a three-run home run from former Gyrene Mason Dinesen extended Keiser's lead to 4-0. Keiser then added another run in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run from Jacob Charron.
Ave Maria's run scoring came exclusively in the top of the fifth, when the Gyrenes scored a pair of runs. Edward Castillo started the action by reaching on an error by the third baseman. Castillo would then steal second, where he would stand with one out. The next batter, Wilfredo Acevedo, blasted a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run. Acevedo's longball trimmed Keiser's lead to 5-2.
The Seahawks responded in the bottom of the sixth, breaking the game open with six runs. Four of Keiser's six runs in the inning were driven in on extra base hits - an RBI double from Karsten Sherman, an RBI double from Catalfo, and a two-run homer from Tim Bouchard. The other two runs in the frame were provided by Owen, who drove in Niko Petrides and Catalfo with a single.
Keiser ended the game early in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to their third home run of the afternoon. Dinesen started the inning with a walk, and moved to third base on a single from Sherman. Charron belted his second home run of the day to end the game, a three-run shot over the left field fence.
Acevedo's home run was one of Ave Maria's two hits on the day, while a single from Tyler Chase provided the other. Charron led the Keiser offense with four RBIs on the two home runs, while Sherman was the game's leading hitter with two singles and a double.
The Gyrenes now head to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for four games at William Carey University. Ave Maria will play games against Culver-Stockton College and Columbia College on Friday, and will take on Columbia and William Carey on Saturday. The action on Friday begins at 11 a.m.
