GULF SHORES, Ala.- The Ave Maria University softball team split their second doubleheader at the Gulf Coast Invitational on Saturday, picking up a victory over Blue Mountain College before falling to the University of Rio Grande. The Gyrenes rode a complete game from Brittany Blizzard to victory in the opener before falling in extra innings to the Red Storm in the day's finale.

Ave jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, using three hits to take a lead they would not relinquish. Kalie Romig started the game with a single, and recorded her sixth and seventh stolen bases of the seasonto move up to third. Genevieve Twigg then drove in Romig with a groundout. A two-out rally added the second run, as Michella Davis doubled to left field and then scored when Emma Thompson singled to center field.

Blue Mountain got their lone run in the bottom of the third, cutting the AMU lead in half. Kelly Beth Ernest led off with inning with a single, and stood on second base with two outs after a single and a pair of popouts. An Ave Maria error off the bat of Darby Bishop allowed Ernest to score, trimming Ave Maria's lead to 2-1 after three innings.

The Gyrenes broke the game open in the final two innings, scoring twice in the top of the sixth and once more in the seventh. A two-out rally for AMU loaded the bases in the sixth inning, leading to a two-run bloop single from Blizzard to extend the lead to 4-1. Another insurance run was added in the seventh, when Morgan Grimm singled through the right side of the infield to bring in Romig for her second run scored of the game.

Blizzard picked up her third win of the season in the circle, tossing a complete game without allowing an earned run. The freshman scattered seven hits throughout her seven innings of work, striking out two hitters and two allowing two walks. 

In game 2, the Gyrenes found themselves in a 2-0 hole after Rio Grande scored in the second and third innings. An error allowed the Red Storm to take the initial lead in the second inning, and an RBI double from Mary Pica extended the Rio Grande lead to 2-0. 

AMU started to rally in the fourth inning, scoring a run in the fourth and another in the fifth to tie the game. In the fourth, Angela Cataldo singled with one out, and moved to third on another single from Twigg. Cataldo scored the first Ave run on a fielder's choice where she beat the throw home. The run in the fifth came home when Blizzard led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch.

Rio Grande got a run in the top of the eighth inning in the international tiebreaker, and Ave was unable to answer after the lead runner was thrown out at the plate on an attempted sacrifice bunt. 

AMU pitchers Brooke Pierron and Aylin Naranjo combined to allow just one earned run. Pierron tossed the first four innings of the game, while Naranjo concluded the contest. Naranjo did not allow a hit in her four innings in the circle, but was charged with a tough-luck loss. 

Ave Maria's play at the Gulf Coast Invitational will conclude on Sunday, when the Gyrenes take on Lyon College and William Carey University. First pitch against Lyon is scheduled for 9:00 a.m., with the invitational set to conclude with a game at 2:00 p.m.