AVE MARIA, Fla. — Twice the Ave Maria Baseball team had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night against the IU Southeast Grenadiers. Unfortunately, twice the Gyrenes were turned away as they dropped both games, falling 8-6 in the first game and 5-4 in the second game.
Friday started off very well in game one for the Gyrenes as they put three runs up on the board in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded, Joe Manesitios, who celebrated his birthday on Friday, slapped a single into right field to bring home Michael Kelly and Ri'Shon Pearl. During the next at bat, Patrick Corley dropped a single into center field that brought home Kelton Klemcke.
The Gyrenes added a fourth run in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Corley to score Manesiotis.
While Ave Maria was feeling it at the plate, pitcher Ryan Young was shoving on the mound. The senior struck out eight batters in a row from the first inning through the third. The streaked ended in the fourth with a hit batsman, but the Gyrenes were still able to get the next three batters out.
The game turned sideways in the fifth inning when the Grenadiers brought home six runs off five hits and one error.
Ave Maria got a run back in the sixth inning, but IU Southeast immediately responded with two runs in the top of the seventh making it a three-run ball game.
In the bottom of the ninth, back-to-back walks gave the Gyrenes a chance. The birthday kid Manesiotis then collected his third hit and third RBI of the game with a single up the middle that scored Anthony Fernandez. A groundout then moved both runners into scoring position, giving Ave Maria a legitimate shot at a comeback. However, a groundout ended the game as the comeback fell just short for the Gyrenes.
The second game of the twin bill had less scoring as both defenses settled down. IU Southeast scored two runs in the opening frame but were then held quiet for the next three.
Ave Maria got a run back in the bottom of the third off an RBI single from Kyle Magdic that brought home Fernandez.
The Grenadiers added a run in the fifth, seventh and ninth innings to take a 5-1 lead. Ave Maria got baserunners on during that stretch, but everyone was left aboard.
Down four runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Gyrenes got one last chance at a comeback. Karson Green got the inning started by reaching on an error by the first baseman. Michael Ciscar then upped the ante with a double smashed down the left field line. Klemcke, who was courtesy running for the catcher Green, held up at third. After a strikeout, Kelly drew a walk to load the bases for the Gyrenes. IU Southeast got another strikeout to put two away, but the Gyrenes still had a little life left in them.
With the bags full, Pearl popped a ball high in shallow left field that ended up being trouble for the Grenadiers. The ball dropped right in front of the left fielder for a base hit. All three runners were going since there were two outs on the board and they were all able to score on the bloop double.
The tying run now stood at second for the Gyrenes for the second time in the doubleheader, but again a groundout ended the comeback before it was complete for Ave Maria.
With the two losses, Ave Maria falls to 3-3 overall on the year.
The doubleheader that was originally scheduled for Saturday to complete the four-game series between the teams has been canceled due to inclement weather moving the Grenadiers flight back to Indiana up to Sunday morning.
The Gyrenes are back in action Wednesday, February 4, for a mid-week game against the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles. Ave Maria and Oklahoma Wesleyan met for the first time in 2025, and the Eagles swept all three games of the series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.
