AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team fell short in a pair of conference games on Wednesday afternoon, losing to Warner University 1-0 and 9-3 at the AMU Softball Field. The Gyrenes got solid pitching performances from Brooke Pierron and Mackenzie Frye, who allowed just five total earned runs in 14 innings, but could not scratch across the needed runs.

The lone run in the opening game of the doubleheader in the top of the fifth inning, at the hands of the Royals. The run crossed the plate with two outs, as a bunt single from Avery Cotterill put runners on first and second. An RBI single from Brittany Winget plated Breyonna Shell, but Winget was thrown out at second to end the inning.

For six of the game's seven innings, Pierron and Frye were able to keep the Royals off the scoreboard, despite allowing 13 hits. Pierron threw the first five innings, and did not walk a single batter while allowing just the one run. In her two innings of relief, Frye scatted four hits while keeping the deficit at 1-0. Warner's Sylvia Welsh tossed a complete game shutout in the win.

AMU's two hits on the game were provided by Brittany Blizzard and Angela Cataldo, with singles in the second and third innings, respectively. Warner's offensive effort was led by Winget, who had two hits and the lone run batted in.

In the nightcap, Warner led from start to finsh, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. The opening two runs were recorded on a double from Ashton Owen, who then was able to score on a rundown during an attempted pickoff. The Royals also added a run in the top of the third inning, taking a 4-0 lead on an RBI double from Sara Bruno.

Ave Maria responded with three unanswered runs, scoring one in the top of the third and two more in the fourth. In the third inning, Paxton Hoop led off by being hit by a pitch, then moved up to second on a groundout off the bat of Kalie Romig, who had AMU's only hit in game two. A throwing error from the Royals allowed Hoop to score from second with two outs, cutting the Royals' lead to three runs. 

Five errors helped the Gyrenes score twice in the fourth inning. An error put Blizzard on third base to start the inning, and Emma Thompson was then able to drive her in, reaching on the second error. After Morgan Grimm reached on a fielder's choice, a two-error play on an attempted pickoff allowed the freshman to score Ave Maria's final run of the day.

Warner was able to put the game away in the later innings, scoring once in the fifth and four times in the sixth. An RBI double from Bruno provided the run in the fifth inning, while a three-run error and an RBI single from Owen extended the lead in the top of the sixth.

The Gyrenes will head on the road on Saturday for a conference doubleheader with the Keiser University Seahawks. First pitch in West Palm Beach is scheduled for noon.