AVE MARIA, Fla. — Ave Maria dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Keiser Seahawks to open their penultimate conference series, losing game one 9-8 in 10 innings and game two 5-2 in seven. Despite the losses, Francesco Barbieri hit three home runs in the first game to break the single season record in Ave Maria history.
Ave Maria was cruising through the first seven innings of game one. Kevin Figueredo made his ninth start on the mound and, despite allowing four walks, pitched five scoreless innings and struck out six. Ethan Petric took over on the mound and tossed another two scoreless innings while striking out four.
At the plate, the Gyrenes utilized the long ball to build up a lead. Barbieri hit his first home run of the game in opening frame with a solo shot to right field. That was his 14th of the season, tying him with David Leonardi for most on the team and most in a single season in program history.
In the third, Tanner Kelly blasted a solo shot to left field, his fifth home run of the season.
Two innings later, Barbieri got his second of the game, again with a solo shot over the fence in right field. At 15 home runs, he broke school record for home runs in a season, a record that was set by Leonardi last year.
In the seventh, Gyrenes scored their first runs not off a homer, with Barbieri slapping an RBI double to score Kelly. Davis Blair then brought Barbieri home on an RBI single which put the Gyrenes up 5-0.
It was all fun and games and broken records for the Gyrenes until the eighth inning. Keiser finally found some life at the plate and loaded the bases with nobody out. The Seahawks then strung an RBI double, RBI single, and an RBI double play to pull within one of the Gyrenes.
Ave Maria got some insurance in the bottom of the eighth with a Kyle Kuramoto RBI single, but the Seahawks weren't finished scoring yet.
In the top of the ninth, Keiser brought home another four runs to take an 8-6 lead.
Down to their final three outs, the Gyrenes did not trail for long. Kelly got on base via a throwing error from the KU shortstop which brought up Barbieri. As if scripted, the fifth-year senior from Canada lifted a ball over the tall wall in right field. The home plate umpire called it gone while the first base umpire said foul. After a brief meeting from the officiating crew, it was ruled a home run that tied the game at eight. For Barbieri, he became just the second Gyrene to hit three home runs in one game, matching Ethan Bergkamp who did so against Fort Lauderdale January 21, 2022. With nobody out, the Gyrenes got the winning run in scoring position, but couldn't bring him home. So, AMU headed to extra innings for the fourth time this season.
In the tenth, Keiser put the pressure on once again, hitting their first home run of the game with a solo shot from Kenny DiClemente, giving the Seahawks a one run advantage.
In the bottom half the inning, the Gyrenes got a runner on base with Jimmy Coffey taking a pitch in the side. After a flyout put two away, in the frame, Barbieri had a chance to be the hero once again, but Keiser did not want to take that chance. The intentionally walked him to put two on for the three-hole hitter. Leonardi worked a good at-bat, but a grounder back to the mound ended the game in favor of the Seahawks.
Game two was much more subdued than the early game. Both team scored a run in the second, with Ave Maria's coming home on a Cole Rasbury RBI single to score Michael Kelly.
In the third, Keiser took a 2-1 lead with a solo shot from Seth Lucero.
In the fifth, the Gyrenes tied it with Tanner Kelly hitting an RBI single to score Connor James.
The bigger story of the game was the pitching duel between KU's Danny Galvan and Ave Maria's Cam Horner. Both pitchers were cruising on the mound. Outside of the two runs each pitcher allowed, neither team had a chance to get something going to take a commanding lead.
Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth, so they entered the seventh and final inning of the shortened game, tied at two.
In the top half of the frame, the Seahawks finally broke the game open, bringing home three runs. Ave Maria tried to respond in the bottom half, even getting two runners on to put the tying run at the plate, but they would be left stranded as Keiser won the second game 5-2. Galvan pitched all seven innings, pitching just the second complete game against the Gyrenes this season.
With the two loss, Ave Maria falls to 17-22 overall and 4-14 in conference play. The series against the Seahawks concludes Saturday, April 20, with a doubleheader starting at noon. Saturday is also Senior Day for the Gyrenes as it is the last Saturday home games of the season. Sixteen seniors will be honored before the start of game one. Both games can be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.
