AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The Gyrenes lost to the Mount Marty Lancers Tuesday 6-2, dropping their fifth game in a row. AMU had scheduled a double header against the team from South Dakota, but had to bang the second game in the first inning after a two-hour lightning delay.
The Gyrenes struck first in the seven-inning contest, plating two runs in the bottom of the second. Luis Rodriguez-Gallo opened the scoring with an RBI double to deep center field, bringing home Cole Rasbury. A few batters later, Brian Williams slapped an RBI single to left field to bring home Connor James, who pinch ran for the Gyrene catcher.
The big story for the Gyrenes though was Luke Zmolik on the mound. The junior transfer from Butler tossed a perfect 3.2 innings to start the game. The perfecto ended however with a hit by pitch in the fourth inning. It was the longest perfect bid to start a game for the Gyrenes this season. Zmolik tossed one more inning after that, finishing his first start of the season with five innings pitched, no hits, no walks, and no runs with five strikeouts. The only blemish on his stat line was the one hit by pitch.
Against a new pitcher, the Lancers found the bats in the sixth inning. MMU put up four runs, all unearned off a couple of defensive errors, and took a 4-2 lead with only six outs left to play for the Gyrenes.
Ave Maria went three up, three down in the sixth and the Lancers added two more runs in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to four. Ave Maria threatened in the bottom half with a couple of baserunners, but couldn't bring them home, and Mount Marty walked away with the 6-2 win.
The Gyrenes and the Lancers tried to play the second game of the planned doubleheader, and the Gyrenes got off to a good start, scoring two runs in the top of the first off a two RBI single from Rasbury. Blake Albritton got one strikeout on the mound in the bottom half before the horns sounded and the two teams entered their respective dugouts to wait out the lightning.
The game was delayed two hours before ultimately banging it due to time restraints and impending rain moving into the area.
With the one loss, the Gyrenes fall to 5-8 on the season.
On the brighter side, Tuesday marked the end of the long road stretch to start the 2024 season for the Gyrenes. Their next game will finally be in the friendly confines of Bowie's Ballpark, Friday, March 8. The Gyrenes open their home schedule with a three-game series against the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans. Ave Maria has already played them once, winning 9-3 February 21. The series opener will be Friday with a doubleheader to close it out on Saturday. All three games will be broadcast on the Sun Digital Network.
