AVE MARIA, Fla. — For the fifth time this season, the Gyrenes split a conference doubleheader to remain even in the standings. This time is with the St. Thomas Bobcats. STU won the first game 5-2, despite the Gyrenes outhitting the Bobcats. In the second game, Ave Maria exacted their revenge thanks to some late inning heroics, winning 10-6.

St. Thomas jumped on Ave Maria early, scoring all five of their runs in the first five innings. The Gyrenes quieted them down in the final four frames, but the damage was done for the Bobcats.

Ave Maria finally got on the board in the sixth inning. With two runners in scoring position, Jimmy Coffey drove a double to left field that brought home Nicholas Garcia and Michael Kelly, snapping the deficit to three. It was the second hit of the game for Coffey, his 10^th multi-hit game of the season. Coffey's first hit of the game was a single in the fifth inning, which extended his hit streak to 19 games. That tied Rico Soto for the second-longest hitting steak in Ave Maria history. Unfortunately, Coffey's streak came to an end in the second game of the doubleheader.

On the mound, both teams rode their starters for seven innings and only went to the bullpen once. Both starters threw over 100 pitches, with Ave Maria's Hunter Cashero exiting the game with 105 and Juan Fernandez leaving with 118. Cashero unfortunately got the loss in the game, dropping his record 1-6.

Ave Maria tried to tie the game in the final three innings and had their best chance in the ninth with two runners on. However, a double play dashed their hopes and sealed the game for the Bobcats.
After being held to just two runs in the first game, Ave Maria exploded in the second, scoring five runs in the first two innings.

Jordan Crawford got the scoring started with a two-RBI single in the first inning, bringing home Jesus Gonzalez and Tanner Kelly.

The scoring immediately continued in the second inning. Off the first pitch he saw, Michael Ciscar cranked a ball over the left field wall for the first home run of his collegiate career. It was the lone dinger of the doubleheader for both teams.

With still three outs to play with, the Gyrenes continued to add runs in the second. Kelly and Gonzalez got aboard and were brought home again, this time by Dakota Jones with an RBI double to center field.

St. Thomas steadily fought back though. The Bobcats scored three runs in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. During this run, the Gyrenes were shut down at the plate as the Bobcat starter, Carlos Polanco, recorded seven strikeouts in those three innings. He finished the game with 12 total.

Before the series, the second game was agreed upon to be the shortened seven-inning game of the weekend. So, heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Gyrenes were feeling the pressure down one run with only six outs left to play.

Pressure makes diamonds though, as the Gyrenes brought home five runs to blow the game wide open. Gonzalez tied the game with an RBI single, bringing home Kyle Van Liere to make the score 6-6. After a foul out put two away in the inning, Jones drew a walk to load the bases for Crawford. The senior transfer who had already brought home two runs earlier in the game, dropped a single into center field that brought home Harrisson Rossi and Gonzalez to put Ave Maria up 8-6. Crawford finished the game with a season-high four RBI. Davis Blair brought home two more runs with a double to left center that put the Gyrenes up 10-6.

In total, Ave Maria scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead. It was the fifth time this season that the Gyrenes have scored five or more runs in an inning.

Blair took to the mound in the seventh inning, swapping from the designated hitter to a relief pitcher. He closed out the game for Ave Maria and got a strikeout to bring his season total up to eight. It wasn't a save for Blair as the Gyrenes were up by more than three runs, but it was another solid outing out of the bullpen for him. Isaac Hines got the win, tossing the sixth inning right before the Gyrenes took the lead.

The win was the second last at-bat win of the season for the Gyrenes, and their first at home.

The split moves Ave Maria's record to 15-14 overall and 5-5 in conference play. The Gyrenes have split all five of their conference doubleheaders this season.

The Gyrenes will wrap up this four game set against the Bobcats with another doubleheader Saturday, March 22. First pitches are set for 2 and 5 p.m. and both games will be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.