MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. —— Ave Maria got its first conference win of the season Thursday evening, beating the St. Thomas Bobcats 4-1. The Gyrenes continued to dominate on the mound while using the long ball to get past the Bobcats.
Ave Maria opened the scoring in the second inning in a very loud way. David Leonardi led off the inning with a solo shot over the wall in left field. It was the senior's sixth home run of the season and his first since February 29 against Webber.
Then, just two pitches later, Cole Rasbury left the yard, this time going over the fence in right field. This was his second home run of the season and the third of his Ave Maria career. It was also the second time this season two Gyrene batters have hit back-to-back home runs, with the first being opening day against the Vanguard Lions.
The game quieted out for both teams following the two home runs. Gyrene starter Sean Hogan tossed six scoreless innings, while only allowing two hits, two walks, and striking out 10. It was the third quality start of the season for the Gyrenes, who are now 3-0 when their starter pitches six or more innings and allows three runs or less.
St. Thomas got their lone run in the seventh on a very wacky play that saw the Gyrenes also get out of a bases loaded jam. With the bags full of Bobcats, a wild pitch got past catcher Luis Rodriguez-Gallo. Christopher Schoeller came into score when Rodriguez-Gallo missed his throw back to pitcher Brandon Willoughby. Seeing the ball out of Willoughby's glove, Lucas Lopez, who started at second, tried to push his luck and score. However, Willoughby quickly scooped up the ball and tagged Lopez out at the plate. He then looked up and saw Yardielo Oniel, who started the play in first, racing towards third and fired the ball over there. Unfortunately, it missed David Blair at third and rolled into left field. Oniel got up, and tried to make it the final 90 feet to tie the game at two, but Franco Barbieri, who was covering third base just outside the infield, scooped up the loose ball and fired it back to Rodriguez-Gallo in time to tag out Oniel and end the inning. Ave Maria traded a run for two outs to get out of a bases loaded jam and keep a 2-1 lead.
That would be the last good chance the Bobcats would get to tie the game. Ave Maria extended its lead in the eighth and ninth innings, with Rodriguez-Gallo hitting the third and final home run of the night for the Gyrenes in the eighth, and Brian Williams hitting an RBI single to bring home Connor James in the ninth.
On the mound, Ethan Petric pitched the final two innings for Ave Maria. He struck out two while only giving up a walk and a hit to earn his first save of the season. Hogan got the win on the mound, bumping his record up to 3-2.
With the win, Ave Maria improves to 11-8 and is on a six-game winning streak, eclipsing the five-game losing streak that preceded it. Ave Maria has now won four straight over the St. Thomas Bobcats, dating back to their statement sweep over STU last season.
The conference series continues tomorrow with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. with game two starting at 5 p.m.
