AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team took one out of two games on Saturday afternoon, splitting a Sun Conference doubleheader with the Keiser University Seahawks. The Gyrenes rallied for a 5-4 victory in the day's opener, but could not complete the sweep in a 5-2 loss. Before the games, Ave Maria honored lone senior Deanna Stirtzinger.
The only run in the first four innings of the game was scored by Ave Maria in the bottom of the first inning. Kalie Romig led off the game with an infield single, and advanced to third on a stolen base and a groundout. Romig was then driven in on a bunt by Emma Thompson, who reached on an error.
Ave Maria added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with another run. Thompson singled to start the action, with a steal and a wild pitch moving the freshman to third base. After a strikeout, a bunt from Michella Davis pushed Thompson across the plate, giving the Gyrenes a 2-0 lead.
Keiser took their first and only lead of the opener with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. A two-run single off the bat of Larissa Ostrander tied the game for the Seahawks, and a fielder's choice provided by Bermari Figueroa gave Keiser a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning.Â
The Gyrenes responded in the bottom half of the frame, taking the lead for good with a three-spot. Brianna Geiger started the inning with a double, and Destinee Elmore walked to put runners on first and second. A Romig bunt was thrown away by the Seahawks, allowing Geiger to score the game-tying run. Romig scored the go-ahead run on a first and third double steal, and a single from Genevieve Twigg gave AMU an insurance run.
A run in the top of the seventh pulled the Seahawks within one, but starting pitcher Brooke Pierron was able to shut down Keiser with the tying run on second to earn her tenth win of the season in the circle.
In the second game, Keiser scored in four consecutive innings and never trailed in a 5-2 triumph over the Gyrenes.
Keiser's scoring began in the second inning with a single run, and continued with two more in the top of the third. The Seahawks got on the board when a single and ensuing error from Figueroa allowed her to circle the bases. An error and an RBI single from Ostrander gave Keiser a 3-0 lead through three innings.
Both teams scored in the fourth inning, keeping the Seahawk lead at three runs. The third of Ave Maria's errors allowed Kelsie Thurman to score the run for the Seahawks, while an RBI single from Twigg drove in Thompson, who had tripled to start the inning, getting the Gyrenes in the scoring column.
The scoring for the Seahawks was concluded in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single from Ally Thompson. Thompson's single drove in Alanie Cora. Ave Maria's final run was driven in on a sacrifice fly from Thompson, which scored Romig.
Ave Maria remains at home for their next Sun Conference doubleheader, as the Gyrenes welcome Southeastern University to the AMU Softball Field on Wednesday. The twinbill is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start in Ave Maria.
