MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — For the third series in a row, the Gyrenes won the first game, taking down the St. Thomas Bobcats 13-6 Thursday evening. Ave Maria allowed a few runs early but scored six straight runs to jump in front.
St. Thomas scored three runs in the first inning to open the scoring. The first run was off a solo homer from the leadoff hitter. The Bobcats then brought two more runs home with an RBI single and sacrifice fly.
The Gyrenes responded with six straight runs, scoring two in the second, one in the fourth and three in the fifth. In the second inning, Ave Maria got back-to-back singles from Michael Kelly and Anthony Fernandez to bring home the runs.
Ri'Shon Pearl tied the game in the fourth with a sacrifice fly that brought home Kelly.
In the fifth, Ave Maria took their first lead of the ball with an RBI single from Patrick Corley that scored Kelton Klemcke. The Gyrenes added some insurance after an error brought home Corley and an RBI single from Kyle Magdic scored Kelly.
St. Thomas made it a one-run ballgame after scoring a run in the fifth and sixth innings, but that was as close as the Bobcats would get.
Ave Maria regained their three-run lead in the eighth inning from a two-run blast off the bat of Jake LaVine. It was the first homer of the season for LaVine who brought Pearl home with him.
St. Thomas scored their final run in the bottom half of the eighth but still trailed the Gyrenes by two.
In the top of the ninth, Ave Maria blew the game wide open with five runs. The Gyrenes only needed two hits to score all their runs as the St. Thomas bullpen had trouble finding the strike zone in the final frame. The Bobcats used four different pitchers in the ninth and the Gyrenes had a response for all of them. After a Fernandez walk loaded the bases, the Bobcats bobbled a fielder's choice, allowing all three runs to score and the batter Magdic to make it to second. A walk put two runners aboard again. LaVine brought both of them home with a double to give the Gyrenes their final two runs of the game.
LaVine's double was his third hit of the game, putting him just a triple shy of the cycle in the series opener. Kelly led the team with four hits and Fernandez matched LaVine with three. Joe Manesiotis, Klemcke and Corley all had multi-hit games as well.
On the mound, Ryan Young made his ninth start of the season and pitched the necessary five innings to be the pitcher of record. Young allowed four runs off 10 hits and one walk while striking out two. He earned his second win of the season, improving his record to 2-1.
Christian Prull was next out of the bullpen for the Gyrenes, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing two runs off three hits and four walks while striking out five. Three of those four walks came in the bottom of the ninth, loading up the bases for the Bobcats. Ave Maria went to the bullpen and pulled out Caleb Niese who struck out his first batter to end the game.
Having trailed three runs in the first inning, Thursday was the largest comeback of the season for the Gyrenes.
With the win, Ave Maria improves to 13-19 overall and 10-15 in conference play. Elsewhere in the Sun Conference, the two teams below Ave Maria in the standings, Florida Memorial and New College, both lost Thursday, bringing AMU's magic number to clinch a spot in the Sun Conference tournament to two. That could be two Gyrene wins, two Florida Memorial losses, or a combination of the two.
Ave Maria's series with the Bobcats continues Friday with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and both games will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.
