AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria softball team returns home for the time in over a month to host Southeastern University in a pivotal early conference season matchup. The Blue and Green sit at 17-15 overall and 2-0 in TSC play while the Lady Fire come in with a 24-9 overall mark. This will be Southeastern's conference opener.
 
Strong efforts in the circle last weekend helped the Lady Gyrenes to a doubleheader sweep of (RV) Webber International. The Blue and Green won game one of the twinbill 5-1 before taking game two 4-1.
 
In game one, Cheyenne Benson improved to 6-9 on the season, pitching seven innings while allowing one unearned run on three hits. She struck out three and had no walks in the win. Emily Lemin picked up the win for the Lady Gyrenes in game two to improve to 6-5 on the season. She allowed one run on three hits over seven innings. She walked five and struck out five in the win.
 
Kingsley Avery continues to swing the bat well, ranking second in the NAIA in total triples with five and 29th in batting average, hitting at a .484 clip. Her .484 batting average in tops in the Sun Conference. She also ranks 12th in the NAIA in total stolen bases with 18. As a team, AMU ranks 10th with 59 steals on the season.
 
In the circle, Benson leads the conference with 75 total strikeouts and is third in strikeouts per game (5.77). Lemin in ninth in the conference in Ks per game, striking batters out at a 4.64 rate.
 
The Lady Gyrenes will be going up against a strong Southeastern lineup that is led by Cat Maldonado. Maldonado leads the Lady Fire in batting average (.451), RBI (40), and home runs (11). Her 40 home runs is tops in the NAIA and her 11 home runs ranks second. Maldonado is one of six regular starters hitting above .350 and one of three hitting above .400.  Anna Martin is also hitting .451 with 10 less at-bats than Maldonado.
 
In the circle, the Lady Fire are led by Susan Hinks. Hinks is 11-5 in 17 games played. She has stared seven contests. In her 84.1 innings pitched, Hinks has struck out 57 batters and allowed 35 earned runs for a 2.91 ERA. Maldonado will also make her presence known in the circle, as she has a 2.63 ERA over 40 innings in 16 appearances. The Lady Gyrenes could also face Emily Bryant in the circle. Bryant has a 3.09 ERA in 10 starts and 18 appearances.
 
LADY GYRENES CATEGORY LEADERS
 
Batting Average – Kingsley Avery, .484 BA
RBI – Alyssa Colding, 19 RBI
Stolen Bases – Kingsley Avery, 18 SB
ERA – Cheyenne Benson, 2.00 ERA
Strikeouts – Cheyenne Benson, 75 K
 
2015 Softball NAIA Rankings
 
Team Rankings

• Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Total Caught Stealing (13)
• Ranks Number 10 in Division I in Total Stolen Bases (59)
• Ranks Number 10 in Division I in Total Batters Struck Out (165)
• Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Total Putouts (639)
• Ranks Number 13 in Division I in Total Innings Pitched (213.000)
• Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Chances (901)
• Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Triples (8)
• Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Total At Bats (815)
• Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Caught Stealing per Game (0.406)
• Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Putouts per Game (19.969)
• Ranks Number 25 in Division I in Steal Attempts per Game (2.250)
• Ranks Number 26 in Division I in Errors per Game (2.250)
• Ranks Number 28 in Division I in Stolen Bases per Game (1.844)
• Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Innings Pitched per Game (6.656)
• Ranks Number 36 in Division I in Total Runs Batted In (131)
• Ranks Number 38 in Division I in Total Hits (224)
• Ranks Number 39 in Division I in Total Doubles (39)
• Ranks Number 40 in Division I in Total Runs Scored (147)
• Ranks Number 45 in Division I in Opp. Batting Average (0.254)
• Ranks Number 45 in Division I in Earned Run Average (2.760)
• Ranks Number 49 in Division I in Triples per Game (0.250)

Individual Rankings

• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Fielding Pct (1.000)
• Nikki Woodard Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Fielding Pct (1.000)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Total Triples (5)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Total Steal Attempts (19)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Total Stolen Bases (18)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Triples per Game (0.179)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Total Hits (44)
• Cheyenne Benson Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Total Innings Pitched (91.000)
• Cheyenne Benson Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Total Batters Struck Out (75)
• Emily Lemin Ranks Number 26 in Division I in Saves (1)
• Alyssa Colding Ranks Number 26 in Division I in Total Chances (181)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 27 in Division I in Stolen Bases per Game (0.643)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 28 in Division I in Hits per Game (1.571)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Batting Average (0.484)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 32 in Division I in Steal Attempts per Game (0.679)
• Alyssa Colding Ranks Number 36 in Division I in Total Putouts (160)
• Emily Lemin Ranks Number 45 in Division I in Total Innings Pitched (80.000)
• Kingsley Avery Ranks Number 45 in Division I in Total Bases (61)