AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria softball team rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take game two against NCAA DII University of Tampa, 14-13, and earn a split on Sunday's doubleheader after falling in game one 10-0. The Lady Gyrenes move to 5-7 on the season as they prepare to take on NCAA DI Oakland at AMU Softball Field on Wednesday afternoon.
 
In game one, Tampa put a run on the board in the second inning on an RBI double. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh when Tampa added nine more to take game one 10-0.
 
The Gyrenes had five hits in game one and committed four errors. Cheyenne Benson took the loss in the opening game, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing eight runs, all unearned. She allowed seven hits and walked one while striking out one. Jessenia Gonzalez came in for the final out of the game and allowed three hits, one walk, and two unearned runs.
 
In game two, Tampa jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. AMU responded with three in the bottom half of the inning. Benson singled to left field and with the help of an error by the left fielder, Emily Blackmore and Kingsley Avery scored AMU's first two runs on the play. A couple batters later, Benson came in to score on a passed ball by the Tampa pitcher.
 
Tampa added two runs in the tip of the second inning and five more in the top of the fourth to make the score 8-3. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Avery stole home to make the score 8-4. After Tampa scored three more runs in the top of the fifth, Miranda Dessecker and Alyssa Colding scored on back-to-back passed balls pull the Blue and Green within five, 11-6.
 
Coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth trailing 13-6, AMU scored eight runs in the bottom of the innings to take a 14-13 lead. Brianna Alonso got things started with a RBI single to plate Avery and Marlie Braddy. A few batters later, McKayla Jeter drew a bases loaded walk to bring in another run.
 
With the bases loaded, Rachel Curtiss singled t center field to plate Benson. After a sac fly by Sarah Vinci added another run, Deanna Stirtzinger singled to right field to bring home Madison Benitez to pull the Lady Gyrenes within one, 13-12.
 
Coming around to bat for a second time in the inning, Braddy doubled to center field to plate Stirtzinger and Curtiss to put the Blue and Green in front 14-13.
 
Emily Lemin pitched 5.2 innings and allowed 10 runs, four of which were earned. She allowed seven hits and walked three while striking out two. Lemin got the start and pitched 4.2 innings before being replaced by Hali Delashmet. Delashmet pitched 1.1 innings and picked up the win after the Ave Maria comeback. Lemin then re-entered the game in the seventh and got the final three outs to get the save.
 
Avery finished game two with a triple and three runs scored. Benson and Colding each had multiple runs scored in game two. Benson, Braddy, and Alonso each had two RBI in game two.