LAKE WALES, Fla.- The Ave Maria University baseball team completed the biggest comeback in school history on Tuesday evening, erasing a 9-1 deficit with nine unanswered runs in a 10-9 victory over the Warner University Royals in Lake Wales. Down 9-1 after five innings, the Gyrenes scored six runs in the sixth and two more in the eighth to send the game to extra innings, then scored once in the top of the tenth to complete the comeback. It marked the second season in a row that AMU came back from at least seven runs down to beat Warner.

The first run of the game belonged to the Gyrenes, who got on the board in the top of the second. Tanner Kelly continued his hot hitting with a triple to right center, and proceeded to score on an RBI groundout from Dylan Moser. However, Warner took the lead in the bottom half of the inning with three runs, powered by an RBI double from Brian Spradlin, a run-scoring single from Devin Bartley, and an error.

Warner seemingly put the game away in the bottom of the fifth, scoring six runs to expand their lead to eight runs. Only one of the six runs scored on a base hit, with two runs coming home on bases loaded walks and three more crossing the plate on AMU errors. The lone RBI was provided by Jan Martinez, who gave Warner a 9-1 lead with a single. 

Ave Maria rallied to get back in the game in the top of the sixth, following Warner's six-spot with one of their own. The entire rally came with two outs, and was started by a pinch-hit RBI single from Harrison Rossi. AMU cut the lead to 9-3 on a Warner error, then came within five on an RBI double from Rocco Pascente. After a walk to Daniel Caylor, Francesco Barbieri scored on a passed ball, and Kolby Blanchard and Jose Gonzalez hit back-to-back RBI singles to trim the Royals' lead to 9-7. 

Another piece of two-out hitting allowed the Gyrenes to tie the game in the top of the eighth inning. The Gyrenes started the frame with singles from Caylor and Blanchard. After the first two outs of the inning were recorded, the pair pulled off a double steal to get both into scoring position. With two outs, Tanner Kelly drove in both with a single to right, evening the score at nine. The 9-9 score would last into extra innings, as neither team could break the deadlock.

In the top of the tenth inning, Pascente started the inning with a walk, then moved around to third on a pair of flyouts. Once again, the Gyrenes came through with two outs, as Jose Gonzalez singled up the middle to score pinch runner Eli Garcia. Ave Maria would hang onto the lead in the bottom of the tenth, mostly thanks to a defensive play that saw a Warner runner thrown out. 

Kelton Little was a steadying presence for the Gyrenes, entering in the fifth inning and pitching into the tenth. The sophomore did not allow a run in his 4.1 innings of work, scattering three hits to earn his second win of the season. Matthew Barragy came on in relief of Little in the tenth inning, and recorded the final three outs to pick up his second save. 

After the win over the Royals, who are receiving votes in the preseason NAIA Coaches' Poll, the Gyrenes will face another team considered among the best in the nation. Ave Maria will host a three-game series this weekend at Bowie's Ballpark with Middle Georgia State, who are ranked 18th in the nation. The series starts with a Friday doubleheader, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.