PLANT CITY, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team wrapped up a winning weekend with two victories on Sunday in Plant City, Florida. The Gyrenes stunned No. 8 William Carey University 3-2 in the opener before winning their third straight game with a 9-3 win over Cincinnati Christian University.

In the opener, Ave Maria rode a three-run first inning to a victory over the ninth-ranked Crusaders, who won over 40 games and played in the NAIA Tournament a season ago. 

The bottom of the first inning saw the Gyrenes load the bases on a Kalie Romig single, a Deanna Stirtzinger double, and a Michella Davis walk. Romig, who was the lone Gyrene with two hits in the win, scored from third on a passed ball, and Stirtzinger followed her home on an RBI single from Genevieve Twigg. With one out, Brooke Pierron drove in the third run on a bunt single.

William Carey got one run back in the fifth inning after four scoreless innings from AMU starter Brianna Geiger. With runners on first and second and no outs, Branda Northrop doubled to left, driving in the first run of the game for the Crusaders. Geiger induced a groundout and two lineouts with runners on second and third to keep Ave Maria's 3-1 lead intact.

Ave's 3-1 lead held until the top of the seventh. William Carey loaded the bases with two outs, and moved within a run on a Kimberly Gilbert RBI single. With the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second, Geiger finished up a complete game victory by getting the WCU hitter to ground out.

The nightcap saw the Gyrenes lead from start to finish, scoring four runs in the first inning en route to a 9-3 victory over the Eagles of Cincinnati Christian University.

AMU got on the board in the top of the first inning on a two-run double from Emma Thompson. The next two runs were both scored on a pair of runners on first and third situations, as the Gyrenes were able to get Thompson and Pierron in on stolen base plays.

Cincinnati Christian scored each of the first two innings to cut Ave's lead down to 4-2. The first run was was plated on a one-out double from Warman, while the second run came in on a fielder's choice off the bat of Bramlett.

Ave Maria stretched their lead to 7-2 in the top of the fourth inning, scoring the first run on another first-and-third stolen base play. An RBI double from Stirtzinger and a single from Davis added to the Gyrene lead.

The Gyrenes completed their half of the scoring with two runs in the top of the sixth on an error and an RBI single from Pierron, who was also the game's winning pitcher. CCU scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to complete the scoring.

With a 7-2 record in tow, the Gyrenes head to Clermont, Florida for their next set of games. Ave Maria's first games in Clermont come on Saturday, when the Gyrenes face Point Park University and Middle Georgia State.