AVE MARIA, Fla. — It was a tale of two games with the same ending as the Ave Maria Baseball team swept a doubleheader against the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans Saturday afternoon. Game one was a low-scoring nail biter that saw the Gyrenes get their first walk-off win of the season while game two was a high scoring run rule game. Ave Maria won the first game 3-2 and the second game 16-5.
The first game on Saturday was declared as the shortened seven-inning game of the series. New College opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as their top two batters hit a single and double to score a run.
Starter Chris Risola and the Gyrene defense tightened up after the opening two hits and retired the next 11 batters in a row. A walk broke up the streak and led to New College loading the bases in the top of the fourth, but Risola got the NCF catcher to fly out to right field to end the inning.
In the bottom halves of the innings, Ave Maria had trouble generating any offense. The Gyrenes scattered three hits across the first six innings and only got one runner over to third during that time.
In the top of the seventh, New College of Florida got an insurance run to take a 2-0 lead.
All the Mighty Banyans had to do was record the next three outs to even up the series. The Gyrenes had another idea in mind though. Joe Manesiotis got the inning started by drawing a leadoff walk. Patrick Corley then singled to put two on and Jake LaVine was plunked to load the bases.
With both the tying and winning runs aboard, the Gyrenes got back-to-back RBI base hits from Kelton Klemcke and Edwin Silverio Jr. drove in the three runs needed to win the ball game.
On the mound, Risola tossed a strong five innings to start, but the win goes to Isaac Hines out of the bullpen who threw the last two innings of the game. It is the first win of the season for Hines who is now 1-1.
A light switch seemed to flip in the Gyrenes during the second game as they went from three runs to 16.
New College again opened the scoring, this time plating two runs in the top of the third.
Ave Maria responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a lead they would never give back. The Gyrenes loaded the bases in the fourth inning and then got RBI singles from Karson Green, Manesiotis and Silverio Jr.
The fifth and sixth innings saw even more scoring as the Gyrenes brought home six runs in each frame. Green got the scoring started again with an RBI double to bring home Kyle Magdic. An error and hit by pitch brought in the next two runs. Michael Kelly then brought home two more with a single to right field. The final run was balked home as the New College pitcher was getting worried about the runners on the bags.
The sixth saw two-RBI knocks from Manesiotis and Klemcke to bring home four more runs. The final two runs were scored when Anthony Fernandez reached on an error, scoring Kelly and Metzen.
New College brought home two runs in the top of the sixth and a run in the seventh, but it wasn't enough to prevent the run rule.
On the mound, Joe Ferri got the win and improved to 2-0 as he finished the top of the fourth right before the Gyrenes took the lead. Ave Maria used an opener strategy in game two as Jack McGlynn started the first two innings and struck out three batters.
With the two wins, Ave Maria improves to 8-6 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Gyrenes also clinched their first Sun Conference series having won three of the four games.
Ave Maria will go for the sweep on Sunday in the series finale. Due to heavy rain pushing back the doubleheader on Friday, the two teams will make up the final game on Sunday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.
