THOMASVILLE, Ga. – After the Thomas University baseball team scored the contest's first run, Ave Maria proceeded to score 12, unanswered runs, as the Night Hawks ultimately fell to the Gyrenes 12-2 in seven innings Saturday afternoon at Thomas County Central High School's Baseball Field.
For the first time in program history, TU (15-24, 0-15 SUN) was swept on the series by the Holy Queen's team (24-19-1, 7-11 SUN). The Green & White only managed to tally five hits on the day, as Freshman
Matthew Delay Jr. went 2-for-3 at the dish, with both hits resulting in doubles. The Gyrenes recorded 13 hits on the day. In his ninth appearance at the bump this season, Redshirt Senior Left-Hander
Dillon Rutland (0-2) pitched five innings to allow six earned runs off seven hits with two strikeouts.
After the Gyrenes went three-up three-down to start the game, Delay Jr. set the tone with a leadoff double before Redshirt Junior
Bradley Fleenor's sacrifice bunt advanced the Altamonte Springs, Fla. native to third. Ave Maria's lone error of the game would cost them the opening run, as shortstop Tanner Kelly bobbled a chopper from Sophomore
Turner Maddox that sent Delay in for the 1-0 lead.
It did not take long for AMU to respond in the second, as a David Leonardi triple set up a sacrifice fly by Kolby Blanchard to bring home the equalizing run. One inning later, the Gyrenes used its lethal baserunning to steal bases and set up a go-ahead RBI double to take a 2-1 lead.
While the majority of the contest was tame, Ave Maria would open up its hitting attack in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring four runs apiece to jump out to a 12-1 lead.
The Night Hawks attempted to keep the game alive in the alive, as following a walk from Redshirt
Cameron Rosario was a groundout from Freshman
Michael Sowers that allowed the FAMU transfer to advance two bases. Redshirt
Brad Toxen would follow up with a RBI single to bring home Rosario before a game-ending double play on the next at-bat sealed a 12-2 win for the Gyrenes and the series sweep.
TU by the Numbers
2: Runs scored
3: Pitchers used
5: Hits
7: Strikeouts by the pitching staff
Thomas is on the road next weekend, as the Night Hawks will head to USC-Beaufort to face the Sand Sharks April 15th and 16th.
For up-to-date information on this series 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 @NightHawksBaseba.
