MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The Ave Maria University baseball team earned their biggest win of the season on Saturday, taking the second game of the scheduled series with the St. Thomas University Bobcats, 4-3 in ten innings. The Gyrenes held a 4-2 lead in the finale, inching AMU towards a series victory over the No. 18 team in the nation, but the game was suspended in the third inning due to inclement weather, and will be picked up on March 3.

St. Thomas led 1-0 through six innings, thanks to a run in the bottom of the first. Josue Rangel and Jack Khawly hit back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners with one out. Robin Fernandez opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly, but the Gyrenes were able to avoid further damage, leaving runners on first and second after getting Emanuel Montesino to strike out. 

After being held off the scoreboard for five innings, the Gyrenes erupted for three runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 3-1 lead. Tanner Kelly started the frame when he was hit by a pitch. The next batter, Kolby Blanchard, unloaded for a two-run homer to right center, giving Ave Maria the lead. A double from Jose Gonzalez, followed by an infield single from Eli Garcia put runners on the corners, and an STU balk brought Gonzalez home to make it 3-1.

Trailing 3-1 heading into the ninth, St. Thomas rallied to force extra innings. A single, a walk, and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Bobcats, and a fielder's choice off the bat of Alan Caretta made it 3-2. After a fielder's choice saw the tying run cut down at the plate, the Bobcats drew consecutive walks - one intentional and one unintentional - to tie the game. With the bases loaded, AMU's Brandon Willoughby struck out Khawly to send the game to extras.

Ave Maria responded in the top of the tenth with the run that would prove to be decisive. Kelly led off with a single, and Blanchard followed with a single of his own. Jose Gonzalez hit a ground ball to short that looked to be a double play, but an error by the STU second baseman allowed Kelly to score the go-ahead run. In the bottom half, Willoughby set down three straight Bobcats to nail down the victory. 

Kevin Figueredo was outstanding for the Gyrenes in his first conference start, allowing just the first inning run. He would not allow another STU score over his final six innings on the mound, scattering five hits against the powerful Bobcat lineup.

Game two saw Ave Maria take a 4-2 lead after two innings. The Gyrenes scored four runs in the first inning, thanks to a three-run double from Gonzalez and an error off the bat of Harrison Rossi. The Bobcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the second, and the game was suspended just one pitch into the top of the third.

Having split two games with St. Thomas, and holding a lead in the third game, the Gyrenes head into their first home conference series with plenty of momentum. The opponent are the Keiser University Seahawks, who enter the games ranked eighth in the nation. The series starts Friday with a solo game at 2:00 p.m., and continues with a Saturday doubleheader, slated to start at 11 a.m.