MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University baseball team played right with a perrenial power in St. Thomas University on Friday evening, but could not erase a five run deficit in a 6-5 loss in Miami Gardens. The Gyrenes scored the final four runs of the night, but could not get the final run to come all the way back against the nationally ranked Bobcats.
St. Thomas jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs in the inning and a runner on second, cleanup hitter Robin Fernandez belted a two-run home run over the right field fence, opening up a two-run lead for the hosts.
The teams traded runs in the second inning, keeping STU's lead at two runs. Jose Gonzalez led off the inning for AMU with a single, and moved to second on a walk to Francesco Barbieri. With one out, Harrison Rossi drove in the run with a single up the middle. St. Thomas answered in the bottom half of the frame with a single from Chris Schoeller.
STU added runs in the third, fourth, and sixth innings, widening their lead to 6-1. Emanuel Montesino logged an RBI single for the Bobcats in the third, and Jack Khawly extended the lead to 5-1 with an RBI double in the fifth. In the sixth inning, Schoeller singled with one out, and came around to score following a stolen base, a single, and a passed ball.
Ave Maria got back in the ballgame with one swing of the bat in the top of the seventh inning. Eric Havner started the action by reaching on an error, and Rocco Pascente followed with a single. After the next two Gyrenes were retired, Kolby Blanchard launched his fourth home run of the season to left center field, cutting St. Thomas' lead to 6-4.
AMU scored again in the top of the ninth, and had the tying run on base before the Bobcats were able to escape. Pascente started the frame by getting hit by a pitch, and was replaced on first by runner Hayden Sullivan. Sullivan moved around to third on a groundout and a flyout, and Blanchard added his fourth RBI of the day with a single up the middle. Blanchard, the tying run, was stranded on first when the Bobcats enduced a flyout from Gonzalez.
Cameron Horner pitched well for the Gyrenes out of the bullpen, allowing just one run over 3.2 innings of work. The freshman logged seven of his eleven outs via strikeout against a potent St. Thomas lineup, scattering four hits.
The series between the Gyrenes and the Bobcats continues on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch of the opening game is scheduled for noon in Miami Gardens.
