AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University baseball team posted their second no-hitter of the season on Monday afternoon, this one a combined effort in a doubleheader sweep of Massachusetts Maritime Academy at Bowie's Ballpark. Ryan Schroeder, Reagan Spolyar, and Bryan Craft combined on a no-hitter in a 9-0 win in the opener, and the Gyrenes finished off the sweep with a 7-1 win in the nightcap.
The opening game of the doubleheader was never in doubt, as the Gyrenes hung seven runs on the board in the first inning, taking advantage of four MMA errors. The scoring started on an RBI single from Jose Gonzalez, followed by a steal and an error that plated Tanner Kelly. An RBI groundout from Harrison Rossi, as well as a double steal and an error, followed to make it 4-0. RBI doubles from Eli Garcia and James Coffey upped the lead to 6-0, and Coffey would score the final run on another Maritime miscue.
Neither team would score any more until the sixth inning, when Ave Maria added their final two runs of the game. Garcia singled with one out, and proceeded to steal both second and third base. Daniel Caylor would reach on a walk and steal second himself, and both runners scored on an RBI single by Kelly.
Ryan Schroeder got the start for the Gyrenes, and worked five perfect innings with three strikeouts to earn the win. Reagan Spolyar surrendered the first MMA baserunner on an error in the sixth, but retired the other three hitters he faced. Bryan Craft finished off the no-hitter in the seventh, allowing a walk and a hit by pitch but ending the game with a 6-4-3 double play.
In game two, Massachusetts Maritime scored first with a run in the top of the third, but the Gyrenes answered with four in the bottom half. Garcia started the inning with a walk, and moved around to third on an MMA errant pickoff. He would then scored on a Caylor single, and Caylor would follow him home following an RBI triple from Kelly. A fielder's choice off the bat of Kolby Blanchard, followed by a Rocco Pascente sacrifice fly, made it 4-1 Gyrenes.
Another run would cross the plate for Ave Maria in the fourth, with all damage coming with two outs. Coffey drew a walk, and a single from Caylor moved him to second. Kelly then gave Ave Maria a 5-1 lead with a single to right center field.
The final two runs of the day came from the Gyrenes in the bottom of the fifth. Rossi led off the frame with a single, and moved around to third on a wild pitch and a Pascente single. A balk allowed Rossi to score the sixth AMU run, and moved pinchrunner Hayden Sullivan to second. Sullivan stole third, then scored on an RBI groundout from Ethan Bergkamp.
Ave Maria used four pitchers in the victory, with Fernando Fernandez earning the win. Jose Fernandez tossed two scoreless innings to open the game, with Fernando Fernandez pitching the third inning. Matt Barragy struck out four hitters in the fourth and fifth innings, and Alex Nickler retired six of the seven hitters he faced to finish it off.
The games against Massachusetts Maritime are the only games of the week for the Gyrenes, who will have one week between games. The next matchup for AMU comes on Monday, March 7, when the Blue Devils of Lawrence Tech come to Bowie's Ballpark. First pitch between Ave Maria and Lawrence Tech in doubleheader action comes at 11 a.m.
