The Ave Maria University softball team split two games on Monday at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida. The Gyrenes cruised to a 13-0 victory over Cleary University in the opener, but dropped a 1-0 decision to Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the nightcap. Ave Maria is now 8-3 on the season.

In the opening game of the day, the Gyrenes put up nine runs in the first two innings, and rolled to a 13-0 victory in five innings over Cleary University from Michigan. Cleary played in the national championship game in the USCAA last season, and is a first-year NAIA program.

The Gyrenes exploded for five runs before the Cougars could even come to the plate. Kalie Romig and Deanna Stirtzinger reached on a walk and a hit-by-pitch, and moved to second and third on an Emma Thompson flyout. Michella Davis drove both runners in with a double, and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for AMU. 

Davis scored on a wild pitch, and the bases were again loaded on a walk to Genevieve Twigg. Brianna Geiger and Destinee Elmore drove in the final two runs of the inning with a single and a groundout, respectively.

Ave Maria continued their hot hitting with four more in the top of the second. Brooke Pierron drove in the first run with an RBI single, and Twigg cleared the bases with a three-run double, giving AMU a 9-0 lead after just an inning and a half.

AMU hit the ten-run mark for the third time this season with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Thompson clubbed a triple to bring in Romig, who led off the inning with an infield single. An RBI single from Davis and a two-run single from Geiger capped the Gyrene scoring.

Geiger went the distance for the Gyrenes in the circle, allowing just two hits and no walks to the Cleary hitters. At the plate, Davis and Pierron each had three hits, while Davis, Twigg, and Geiger all drove in three runs.

The nightcap saw the Gyrenes lose a pitcher's duel, 1-0, to Mount Vernon Nazarene University from Ohio. A lone run in the second inning proved to be the difference in the game for MVNU, who earned a victory in their first game of the 2018 season.

Mount Vernon Nazarene scored the opening run of the game in the top of the second. Sarah Boue' drew a walk with one out, and was then driven home on a double by Savannah Richards. Pierron, who started in the circle, stranded Richards on third to keep the Cougars' lead at 1-0.

Pierron, despite taking a tough luck loss, pitched well for the Gyrenes. The Ohio native worked all seven innings in the circle, allowing just one run with only one walk. Ave Maria's two hits were provided by Romig and Thompson.

The Gyrenes return to Clermont on Friday for two more games against a pair of opponents from the state of Illinois. The doubleheader features a 2:00 p.m. game against Judson University, and a 4:30 first pitch against Trinity International University.