BABSON PARK, Fla. — Ave Maria lost both games of a doubleheader to Webber on Friday, ending their first conference series in a sweep. The Gyrenes were hung around in both games, but couldn't pull them out, losing game one 9-6 and game two 7-6.
Francesco Barbieri opened the scoring in game one with a solo shot in the top of the first. It was his second dinger of the series and his sixth of the season.
Webber put up four runs in the second inning to take the lead, one they would not give up for the rest of the game.
Ave Maria got within one run of the Warriors a couple of times throughout the game, but couldn't get back in front. In the third, Cole Rasbury singled up the middle to bring home two runs and make the score 4-3.
In the eighth, Kyle Kuramoto doubled down the right field line to bring home Rasbury, making the score the 6-5.
Webber kept pulling away from Ave Maria however, with the biggest being a three-run bottom of the eighth inning to get up to nine.
The Gyrenes got their final run in the top of the ninth off a Michael Kelly home run, his third of the season.
Kevin Figueredo started the game for Ave Maria and suffered his second loss of the season, giving up six runs on six hits in 4.2 innings while only striking out three.
In the series finale, the Gyrenes scored first for the third time in the series, again with a Barbieri solo home run. It was the third game in a row with a dinger for the senior from Canada, joining David Leonardi as the only two to have accomplished that feat this season.
However, like the early game of the doubleheader, Webber took the lead in the second inning, scoring three runs, and never gave it back.
Two more runs for the Warriors made it a 5-1 game heading into the seventh inning. Both teams scored a run in the seventh and the margin stayed at four runs.
In the eighth, the Gyrenes scored their most runs in an inning this series, bringing home four to tie the game at six. Barbieri got the scoring started with a double down the left field line, bringing home Micahel Kelly and Eric Havner. On the next at bat, Davis Blair scored the other two runs with a double of his own, scoring Barbieri and Tanner Kelly.
Webber got the last laugh though as a run in the bottom of the eighth was enough to give the Warriors the win. The Gyrenes went 1-2-3 in the ninth, finishing the sweep for the Warriors.
Ethan Petric started the game for the Gyrenes and received a no decision with Ave Maria tying the game in the eighth. Blake Albritton was the pitcher of record, suffering his first loss of the season.
With the two losses, Ave Maria falls below .500 for the first time this season with a 5-7 record. They also start conference play 0-4.
The Gyrenes return to action in a non-conference doubleheader against Mount Marty from South Dakota at a neutral site Tuesday, March 5, in Auburndale, Florida. It will be the first ever meeting between the Gyrenes and Lancers on the baseball field. Those are the final two games on the road before the Gyrenes finally play their first game in Ave Maria March 8 against the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans.
