AVE MARIA, Fla. – The Thomas University baseball team swept the Gyrenes of Ave Maria University this afternoon in doubleheader action.
 
Behind the stellar pitching performance by freshman Tate Lambert, the Night Hawks defeated the Gyrenes 4-2 in the opening contest of the three game series.  The left-hander pitched a complete game surrendering two runs on 12 hits.  The Bainbridge, Ga., native struck out five of the 41 batters he faced in his nine innings of work.
 
The Gyrenes scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second.  Kellen Creech singled to left to lead off the inning.  He would come around to score when Ave Maria's Christian Sanchez and Bobby Oliver hit back-to-back singles to drive in the first of the Gyrenes' two runs of the game.
 
Thomas responded with four runs over the next two innings to take the 4-1 lead.  With runners on the corners, center fielder Jalbert Melo drove in the first two runs in the third with a triple to the right center gap.  In the top of the fourth, second baseman Austin Corbitt would lift a two-RBI double down the left field line to give Thomas the three run advantage.
 
Ave Maria would go on to score a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut Thomas' advantage to 4-2, but the Hunter Green and White's early lead could not be overcome leading to the first victory of the day for the visiting Night Hawks.  Lambert picked up his fifth win of the season while Ave Maria's Austin Comesanas was credited with game one's loss.
 
In the nightcap, Thomas opened the game scoring four runs in the first inning.  Shortstop Jake Desuyo started things off with a single to left and moved to second on an error by AMU's second baseman on a chopper hit by Melo.  With runners on first and second, left fielder Jeremy Crosby loaded the bases with an infield single that ricocheted off Ave Maria's pitcher.  With one out in the inning, designated hitter Josh Bruijn cleared the bases with a three-RBI double putting TU in the lead.  Two batters later, first baseman Brent Slaughter drove in the fourth run of the inning with a single to left.
 
In the bottom frame, the Gyrenes scored their first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center by Creech.  Leading 4-1, the Night Hawks added an insurance run on a Gyrene error in the fourth and extended its lead to 6-1 in the fifth with a solo homer by Bruijn over the center field fence.  AMU's Ryan Keegan cut the TU advantage to 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth lifting a solo homerun over the left field fence.  The Gyrenes battled back in late innings to cut Thomas' lead to 6-3; however, the Night Hawks would go on to score three more runs in their 9-3 victory.  In the top of the seventh, Alan Baker made it 8-3, crushing a two-run homer over the right-center field fence.  Matthew Brady would drive in the ninth and final run of the game in the ninth inning with an RBI-single. 
 
TU's starter, Monte Reese, picked up his fourth win of the season striking out four of the 25 batters faced while surrendering two runs on four hits.  Ave Maria's Christian Defresne suffered the loss.
 
Thomas improves to 17-19-1, 9-10 TSC, on the year while Ave Maria drops to 17-26, 5-14 TSC.
 
The Night Hawks return to action on Sat., April 4 when they pursue the series sweep over Ave Maria.
 
For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU baseball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawkBaseba.