AVE MARIA, Fla.  --- The Ave Maria softball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a doubleheader sweep of Stratford University. AMU run-ruled the Cardinals in both games, winning game one 9-1 in six and game two 11-1 in five.
 
It took the Lady Gyrenes a couple innings to get going in game one before scoring two in the third, one in the fourth and fifth, and five in the sixth.
 
Deanna Stirtzinger got things started with a RBI triple to drive in Destinee Elmore. Emma Thompson then singled to bring in Stirtzinger. In the fourth, Brooke Pierron reached on an error that allowed pinch-runner Lydia White to come home to make it 3-0.
 
A Thompson double to left field plated Kalie Romig in the fifth inning to increase the AMU lead to four.
 
After Stratford scored a run in the sixth, Pierron, Elmore, and Romig each drove in runs to make the score 8-1. Leading by seven, Stirtzinger hit a sac fly to left which allowed Romig to score to close out the game in five innings.
 
Four Gyrenes recorded multiple hits in game one. Romig also picked up two RBI and scored two runs.
 
Abigail Love pitched four scoreless innings to pick up the win. She allowed three hits and walked four while striking out one. Brianna Geiger pitched the final two innings to earn the save. She allowed on run on three hits.
 
Stratford struck first in game two win a run in the first. AMU responded with four in the bottom half of the inning. Romig plated the first run for AMU, scoring on a wild pitch by Stratford. A RBI single by Thompson and a RBI triple by Michella Davis in back-to-back at-bats made it 3-1 Ave Maria. Genevieve Twigg then hit a sac fly to left that allowed Davis to score.
 
In the second, Thompson hit a sac fly followed by a Davis two-RBI single to increase the Lady Gyrene advantage to six, 7-1.
 
White got her first hit of the season in her second at-bat, an RBI single to left to drive in Stirtzinger. Back-to-back doubles by Love and Pierron drove in Thompson, White and Love to make it 11-1.
 
Davis finished 2-for-3 in game two with three RBI and a run scored. Thompson and Pierron also tallied multiple RBI.
 
Brianna Geiger got the win in game two, pitching four innings of one-run ball. She allowed four hits and struck out two with no walks in the outing. Pierron pitched the final inning and retired all three batters she faced.
 
Ave Maria returns to action next weekend when they head to Plant City, Fla., for five games over three days.