AVE MARIA, Fla. — The Ave Maria Baseball Team continued their Sun Conference series with the #22 Keiser Seahawks on Friday March 20th. The Gyrenes lost the first game 10-1 and lost the second game 9-2. Both games were tight, low-scoring contests before the Seahawks opened it up in the late innings.

In the first game, Keiser opened the scoring in the top of the first as a ground ball with the bases loaded forced a fielder's choice from the Gyrene defense that allowed a run to score.

In the top of the fourth, Keiser doubled up their lead. On a full count, Alex Getz hit the third home run of the series for Keiser to left field.

The Gyrenes immediately responded in the bottom half of the frame as Joe Manesiotis doubled to left field and brought in Jake Lavine. It was the third double of the season for Manesiotis and his eighth RBI.

With three innings left to play, Friday's opener was looking like it would stay a close ballgame. Unfortunately, Kieser put up four runs in the fifth, three runs in the sixth and one run in the seventh to get to 10 total runs. The Seahawks knocked another homer in the fifth inning to end the game with two dingers.

In the bottom half of the frames, Ave Maria went quiet, only recording one hit in the final three innings. The lone hit was from graduate student Daniel Williams, which was his first of the season.

On the mound Christopher Risola made his sixth start of the season and pitched 4.1 innings. Risola gave up three runs off three hits and three walks but did strike out four batters. The Gyrene bullpen added six more strikeouts in the final 2.2 innings to finish the game with 10. 

In the second game of the twin bill, Keiser opened the scoring once again, this time in the second inning. Maddox Shaver blasted a solo shot to left field to put the Seahawks up 1-0.

Ave Maria responded in the bottom half. With the bases loaded, Michael Ciscar flied out to center field, which gave Ri'Shon Pearl plenty of time to score from third.

Both teams found the scoreboard again in the fourth inning. Keiser followed Ave Maria's lead and brought home their second run with a sacrifice fly as well.

In the bottom half, it was again Ciscar that brought in the tying run, this time with an RBI single that scored Daniel Williams.

Following the pattern of a scoreless odd inning and a scoring even inning, Keiser retook the lead in the top of the sixth with another home run from Shaver. Ave Maria has allowed two home runs in each of the three games against Keiser in the series.

The Gyrenes could not hold up their end of the pattern in the sixth and Keiser retained their 3-2 lead.

Just like in the first game of the doubleheader, Keiser turned on the heat in the later innings and brought home six runs off four hits and one error to take a 9-2 lead.

Ave Maria logged one hit in the final two innings but did not have enough in the tank to climb back into the game as Keiser swept the doubleheader.

Caleb West made his first start of the season and tossed a solid six innings. The junior only allowed three runs, two of then earned, off three hits while striking out six batters.

At the plate, Pearl tied his season-high with three hits.

The two losses even up the Gyrenes record to 9-9 overall and puts Ave Maria at 6-5 in conference play.

The final game of the Sun Conference series with Keiser is set for March 21, with first pitch at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on the Urban Edge Network.