NCF Baseball was able to salvage the finale but dropped a four-game Sun Conference opening series at Ave Maria, losing Game 1 17-2, Game 2 3-2, Game 3 15-6 and winning Game 4 13-11.
Two of the four contests were cut short due to rain.
Game 1
Ave Maria used a massive fourth inning to pull away from New College in the series opener Friday at Bowie's Ballpark. The Gyrenes scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and added four more in the fifth to secure a 17-2 victory in a rain-shortened contest.
The Banyans briefly tied the game in the second inning when
Brodie Whitlock delivered an RBI single to bring home
Fernando Espinal after
Rylan Jomisko reached with a hit earlier in the inning. Ave Maria responded in the third with a solo home run before the decisive fourth inning broke the game open.
New College finished with six hits in the contest. Jomisko led the way with a 2-for-2 performance, while Whitlock,
Carson Darr,
Michael Magliocca, and
Jesus Fortis also recorded hits. Fortis drove in the Banyans' second run with an RBI single in the seventh inning.
Game 2
New College carried a lead into the bottom of the seventh, but Ave Maria rallied late to claim a 3-2 victory in the second game of the series Saturday morning.
The Mighty Banyans struck first in the opening inning when
Matthew Merk doubled and drove in
Brecken Fair to give New College an early 1-0 lead. New College maintained the advantage behind a strong pitching performance from
Owen McKinley, who held the Gyrenes scoreless through six innings.
New College added an insurance run in the seventh when Merk singled up the middle to score
Robert Hoffman and extend the lead to 2-0.
Ave Maria answered in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases before producing three runs on consecutive hits to walk off with the win.
Merk led the Banyans offensively with two hits and two RBIs, while Fair,
Wil Gregory, and
Matt Grau each recorded hits. McKinley turned in a strong start on the mound, striking out five across six innings before the late comeback.
Game 3
Ave Maria erased an early New College and pulled away for a 16-5 victory in the third game of the series Saturday afternoon.
The Mighty Banyans jumped in front in the third inning. Â Fair singled and later scored on an RBI single from Jomisko before
Wil Gregory followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Merk and give New College a 2-0 advantage.
Ave Maria responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, stringing together five hits to plate four runs and move ahead 4-2. The Gyrenes continued to add on in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to extend the lead before another six-run sixth inning broke the game open.
New College continued to battle offensively. Merk delivered a two-run double in the sixth inning that scored
Luka Dodig and Fair, cutting into the deficit.
John Ingalls later added a solo home run in the seventh inning, but it proved too little too late.
Game 4
New College erupted for 13 runs across five innings and held off Ave Maria for a 13-11 win in the series finale Sunday. The game was called off at the start of the top of the sixth due to rain.
The Mighty Banyans wasted no time taking control in the top of the first. Fair scored on an RBI groundout from
Patrick Fink, Hoffman came home on an RBI single from  Jomisko, and
Andrew Merchant followed with an RBI single to give New College a 3-0 lead. Ave Maria answered with four runs in the bottom half, highlighted by a three-run home run from Kyle Magdic, to move in front 4-3.
New College responded again in the second inning. Fink tied the game with an RBI single, and Jomisko added another run-scoring hit to put the Banyans back in front 5-4, but Ave Maria answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, then added a pair of runs in the third and a three-run homer in the fourth to build an 11-7 advantage.
The Banyans delivered the decisive swing in the fifth. Fair started the rally with an RBI double, Fink drew a bases-loaded walk, Gregory singled home two runs to tie the game at 11-11, and Whitlock followed with a two-run single to center to push New College in front 13-11
New College finished with 13 hits in the shortened win. Fair, Jomisko, Gregory, Merchant, and Fortis each recorded two hits, while Fink drove in three runs and Whitlock added two RBIs.
Corbin Gilmore earned the win in relief as New College secured its first Sun Conference victory of the season. The Banyans moved to 15-10 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Up Next: The Mighty Banyans will be back in action next weekend for a doubleheader at Webber starting next Friday.
