AVE MARIA, Fla. — It was definitely a hold-your-breath type game in the series opener between the Ave Maria Baseball team and the Florida Memorial Lions, but the Gyrenes were able to get the job done as they won 4-3. Ave Maria scored a run in the seventh and eighth innings and then stranded the tying run in the top of the ninth to win the ball game.
Florida Memorial opened the scoring in the top of the second. An error and a double put two runners in scoring position for the Lions with nobody out. The third batter of the inning then pushed a slow roller to short. The runner from third was going on the pitch so the Gyrenes acquiesced the run. However, a heads up play from Michael Kelly tagged the runner out at third a kept the frame from getting out of hand.
The Lions added another run in the third but could have gotten more if it were not for the Gyrene defense. A double and two walks loaded the bases for FMU, but the next grounder was a double play ball that stopped all of the Lions' momentum. The run did score, but Ave Maria only found themselves down 2-0 heading into the home portion of the frame.
Ave Maria responded immediately in the bottom half. Kyle Magdic reached first on a Lion error, and Ri'Shon Pearl drew a walk after a full count battle. With two outs on the board, Jake Lavine smoked a double that brought home the two runners and tied the game at two.
The game remained locked in a tie as both defenses dug in their heels.
Ave Maria broke the tie in the seventh with a two-out rally. With two gone, Joe Manesiotis got aboard with a single, stole second, and then moved to third on a single from Kelton Klemcke. He was then brought in with a single from Patrick Corley, giving the Gyrenes their first lead of the game.
In the eighth, Ave Maria logged an insurance run which turned into the game-winning run. Again with two outs, Magdic extended the inning with a single to left field. That brought up Pearl who flied a ball deep to centerfield. It ended up being just a few inches short of a dinger and bounced off the top of the fence back into the field of play. The double easily scored Magdic standing up and put the Gyrenes on top 4-2.
The Lions did not go quietly into the night, mounting a comeback effort and bringing home a run in the top off the ninth. FMU then put the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second, but a strikeout from Christian Prull ended the game.
At the plate, eight Gyrenes recorded at least one hit. Chris Myers led Ave Maria as he was the only Gyrene to record multiple hits.
On the mound, Ryan Young tossed 5.1 innings giving up two runs on four hits, while recording four strikeouts. Isaac Hines entered the game in the sixth inning and pitched for three innings, giving up one run on three hits, while recording three strikeouts. Ave Maria took the lead while Hines was on the mound, improving his record to 2-2. Prull logged his first save of the season with a groundout and strikeout to end the game.
With the win, Ave Maria improves to 11-17 overall and 8-13 in Sun Conference play. The win gives the Gyrenes a little cushion over Florida Memorial and New College as they hand onto sixth place in the Sun Conference standings.
The series continues Friday, April 17, with a doubleheader. The first game is set to start at 3 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.
