AVE MARIA, Fla. - The IU Southeast baseball team defeated Ave Maria 8-6 and 5-4 on Friday to open the 2026 season.
 
In game one, the Grenadiers fell behind 3-0 when Ave Maria pushed across three runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the first.
 
Joe Manesiotis hit a two-run single to right and that was followed by a RBI single to center by Patrick Corley to extend the lead.
 
In the third, the Gyrenes capitalized on a passed ball and a balk which allowed a sacrifice fly from Corley to drive in Manesiotis.
 
IU Southeast turned the game on its head with a six-run fifth inning.
 
Coulter Hamilton led off the inning with a triple and scored on a RBI single by Alex Schuler, Schuler advanced to third on Chase Bentley's single and scored on a wild pitch.
 
After a walk and hit batter, Kannon Stull singled to short to load the bases. Trevor Goodwin reached on an error by the first baseman which allowed Gabe Yonto and Kasen Parks to score and tie the game.
 
After Stull was cut down at home on fielder's choice for the second out of the inning, Kyle Campbell singled to drive in Caden Lockwood and Goodwin.
 
In the seventh the Grenadiers tacked on a pair of runs. Gabe Yonto singled and moved to third on an error, before being driven in on a sacrifice fly by Goodwin.
 
Caden Lockwood drove in Joel Johnson with a single to center.
 
Ave Maria threatened in the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles to start the frame. Lockwood got the force at third for the first out and then back-to-back strikeouts by Weston Harvey ended the inning.
 
The Gyrenes tried to rally in the ninth with consecutive one-out walks and then a RBI single by Manesiotis. But Harvey shut the door with a pair of groundouts to secure the win. Aiden Darlage picked up the win by working three innings and allowing one unearned run. He walked two and struck out a batter. Weston Harvey got his first save in four innings of relief. He allowed two runs, struck out five and walked a pair.
 
Gabe Yonto scored twice and Kyle Campbell drove in a pair in the win.
 
In game two, the Grenadiers struck first with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Trevor Goodwin started the rally with a single to right and Lockwood was hit by a pitch. Kyle Campbell followed with a bases-clearing triple to right.
 
The Gyrenes loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning. After Brendan Whalen struck out Manesioti, Corley hit a shot out to left that was tracked down by Yonto to steal an extra-base hit and take runs off the board.
 
In the fifth, IU Southeast tacked on a run when Parks singled and advanced to third on a single by Yonto. Coulter Hamilton drove in Parks with a sacrifice fly.
 
Gabe Yonto came through again in the seventh, driving in Parks with a triple to right-center.
 
He would add another RBI with a solo home run to right in the ninth inning to extend the lead to 5-1.
 
Ave Maria staged a late rally in the ninth inning when they loaded the bases with one out. Joey Merrick struck out Anthony Fernandez for the second out, but Ri'Shon Pearl doubled to left to clear the bases and cut the lead to one.
 
A groundout ended the game and preserved the sweep.
 
Gabe Yonto finished the game 4-for-5 with a home run, triple and two RBI. Kyle Campbell had two hits and Kasen Parks scored twice.
 
Starter Brendan Whalen worked four innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out a pair. Travis Kellems came on in relief and worked two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out two.
 
Jack Skidmore and Jake Gothrup each worked scoreless innings, striking out a pair of batters each.
 
IU Southeast travels to Loyola (La.) next Friday.