AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University baseball team could not finish off a series victory against the number eight team in the nation on Saturday, as the Keiser University Seahawks took both games of a doubleheader at Bowie's Ballpark in Ave Maria. The Seahawks rolled to a 16-3 victory in the opening game, then came back from six runs down to win 12-8 in extra innings in the series rubber match.
Keiser scored 12 runs in the first three innings, taking control of the game early on. The Seahawks scored five in the first, four in the second, and three in the third. The Seahawks' scoring included two home runs - a three-run shot from Tim Bouchard in the second, and a solo shot from Matt Schrick in the third.
Ave Maria got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third. Two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for AMU, and Tanner Kelly drove in the first Gyrene run of the game with a fielder's choice. Kolby Blanchard then added an RBI single through the left side to cut the Keiser lead to 12-2.
The teams would play three scoreless innings before trading runs in the seventh. Keiser would put three runs on the board in the top half, powered mostly by a three-run double from Schrick. A pinch hitter did the damage for the Gyrenes in the bottom half of the seventh, which would prove to be the last frame due to the run rule. David Leonardi homered over the right center field fence, his first longball of the season.
In game two, the teams both scored runs in their first trip to the plate. Keiser's run came on an RBI groundout from Bouchard, who plated Cyrus Grimes who had tripled with one out. Ave Maria's answer was provided by Daniel Caylor, who hit a solo home run to left field, his second of the season.
AMU jumped on top in the bottom of the fourth inning with their biggest inning of the day, a four-spot. Harrison Rossi started the scoring with an RBI single, then scored himself on an RBI single from Rocco Pascente. After a double from David Leonardi, the Gyrenes added two more runs on RBI single from Caylor and Eli Garcia.
After Keiser scored in the top of the fifth to cut the AMU lead to 5-2, the Gyrenes scored three more to take an 8-2 lead. The first two came in the fifth inning, thanks to a two-run single from Rossi. Ave Maria added another in the bottom of the sixth, as a wild pitch brought Kelly in from third after the shortstop had reached on an error.
Despite trailing by six runs, the Seahawks were able to rally and send the game to extra innings. A Mason Dinesen home run cut the Gyrene lead to 8-4 in the seventh, with four more runs crossing in the top of the eighth to tie the game, thanks to a two-run double from Bouchard and a two-run single from Lozada.
The tenth inning saw four more runs cross the plate for Keiser. A single from Catalano initially gave the Seahawks a 9-8 lead, and a Zach Mazur single added run number ten. A single from Schrick added the third run, with an Ave Maria error accounting for the final run of the night, which had extended past sunset in Ave Maria.
Ave Maria returns to the field Monday afternoon in non-conference action. The Gyrenes will host the Buccaneers of Massachusetts Maritime Academy for a doubleheader, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Bowie's Ballpark.
