AVE MARIA, Fla. — Sunday's series finale between the Ave Maria Gyrenes and the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans was becoming one for the record books with 24 combined runs scored through just five innings. However, heavy rain rolled in around 1:30 in the afternoon, forcing the game to be called early in favor of the Mighty Banyans as the Gyrenes fell 13-11.
In four of the five innings fully played on Sunday, the two teams combined for four or more runs.
The opening frame was the highest scoring with seven combined runs. New College struck for three in the top of the first. In the bottom half, Kyle Magdic smashed his second homer of the series and fourth of the season. It was a three-run blast which tied the game with one swing of the bat. Karson Green gave Ave Maria the lead a couple of plate appearances later with a sacrifice fly that scored Ri'Shon Pearl.
New College retook the lead in the top of the second with two runs, but Ave Maria responded with two runs of their own. Again, it was Magdic getting it done, hitting an RBI double to bring home Anthony Fernandez. The Canadian was brought home in the next at-bat with a double from Pearl.
The third inning was the lowest scoring frame of the bunch, with just two runs from the Gyrenes. With two outs on the board and runner on first, Chris Myers showed off the speed to first and forced a bad throw from the NCF third basemen, resulting in an error that allowed Kelton Klemcke to score from first and extend the inning. Myers made his way to third on the play and was brought home off another error from New College that allowed Michael Kelly to get aboard.
In the top of the fourth, New College got back on the board with two more runs to make it a one-run ballgame. Ave Maria again responded with three runs to take an 11-7 lead. It was another long ball that scored the runs in the fourth, this time off the bat of Michael Ciscar. The graduate student smashed the ball 416 feet for his first dinger of the season. It also made Sunday the second game this season Ave Maria has hit multiple home runs.
The fifth inning was when the game fell apart for the Gyrenes. In the top half, New College brought home six runs off four hits to take their first lead since the second inning. It is tied for the most runs allowed in a single inning this season. Making things worse, the Mighty Banyans put up a goose egg in the bottom half against the Gyrenes and work the first three-batter inning of the game from either team.
At the moment, the Gyrenes were not worried about the two-run deficit. However, in the top of the sixth, the game entered a lightning delay, and both teams were sent inside. While waiting for the all clear, the sky opened and flooded the field. It was the second time a game in this series had been interrupted by rain.
After a 30-minute wait, the game was called official having gone five innings and New College got the high scoring win.
With the loss, Ave Maria falls to 8-7 on the year and 5-3 in conference play. The loss also prevented the Gyrenes from earning their first conference sweep since 2022.
Ave Maria is back action with another conference series March 19-21 as the Keiser Seahawks come to town. Keiser was ranked No. 22 in the most recent NAIA Top 25 poll and took three of four from Webber in their first Sun series.
Game one of the series is set for Thursday, March 19, with first pitch at 6 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.
