LAKE WALES, Fla. — The Ave Maria Baseball team split their second doubleheader in a row against the Warner Royals to split the four-game conference series 2-2. Both games were tight one-run contests, with the Gyrenes falling 9-8 in the first game and winning 6-5 in the series finale.
Game one was an exciting game that saw both teams mount a comeback. Unfortunately, it was the Royals' comeback that stuck.
Ave Maria scored the opening run of the game in the top of the first inning, but the lead did not last long.
Warner responded with a six-run frame in the bottom of the first to take a massive five run lead. The final three runs of the inning were scored off a three-run homer, just the seventh home run allowed this season by Gyrene pitching.
Down five, the Gyrenes began to claw their way back into the game. Ave Maria scored three runs in the top of the third to get within two of the Royals. Three singles to start the inning loaded the bases for the Gyrenes. Jordan Crawford was then hit by a pitch to bring the first run home. Michael Kelly followed that up with an RBI single to bring home another run and keep the bases loaded. A double play ball in the infield brought home the third and final run.
The Gyrenes tacked on another run in the fourth to make it a one-run ball game.
In the fifth inning, the Gyrenes tied the game with some nifty baserunning. With runners on the corners, Davis Blair took off for second, getting the catcher to bite and throw across the infield. With the ball away from home plate, Kelly charged from third to steal home and tie the game at six.
Ave Maria retook the lead in the top of the seventh, with two more scoring plays: an RBI single from Sebastian Cabeza and an RBI walk from Tanner Kelly.
All of sudden, Warner was backed up against a wall and had just three innings to dig out of a hole. Unfortunately for the Gyrenes, the Royals did just that. Warner scored one run in the bottom of the seventh after a fielding error, and then brought home two more runs in the eighth with two RBI doubles.
The Gyrenes couldn't return the favor again in the ninth and the Royals took a 2-1 series lead with a win in game one.
The series finale had even more drama as the Gyrenes fought for a series split.
Again, Ave Maria opened the scoring in the first inning, this time with a solo home run from Tanner Kelly. It is the third home run of the season for Kelly, which leads the team.
Warner responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at one.
The Gyrenes jumped back in front in the third inning again off the bat of Tanner Kelly, this time a sacrifice fly that brought home Jesus Gonzalez.
The game then went quiet for the next three innings as both pitchers settled in. Gyrene starter Kevin Figueredo threw six good innings, allowing just the one run off three hits while striking out four batters.
However, the seventh inning is when the Royals got to him. Warner scored three runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Royals brought home those runs off just one hit, while taking advantage of two hit-by-pitches and two wild pitches.
Heading into the top of the ninth, the Gyrenes still trailed by two runs. Ave Maria got a rally going though, putting runners on the corners with back-to-back singles. Gonzalez brought both runners home with an RBI single to tie the game at four. Tanner Kelly then kept the inning going with a triple to scored Gonzalez to take the lead. It is the third triple of the season for the Gyrenes and the first of the year for Kelly. He now has eight in his career, the third most in program history.
Ave Maria added an insurance run with Kyle Magdic reaching first on an error that scored Kelly.
The Gyrenes ended up needing that run as Warner scored one in the bottom of the ninth and put the tying run on third, but Blair made his second appearance on the mound for the Gyrenes this season and got his first save getting a strikeout to end the game.
Brandon Willoughby got the win for the Gyrenes, entering in the eighth inning and pitching an out in the ninth.
Tanner Kelly led the team with four hits over the two games, his fifth and sixth multi-hit games of the season. Harrison Rossi had a multi-hit game as well in game two, putting him, Kelly, and Jimmy Coffey tied for the most multi-hit games this season at six.
With the split, Ave Maria's record moves to 7-10 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Gyrenes and Royals were the only Sun Conference teams to play league games over the weekend, meaning they are tied for first in the standings.
The Gyrenes are back in action the following weekend in the RussMatt Invitational.
