LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. --- The Ave Maria softball team fell to fifth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett in five innings of both games of today's doubleheader. The Grizzlies defeated AMU 13-4 in game one and 8-0 in game two.
 
Georgia Gwinnett scored seven runs in the first inning of game one to jump out to the early lead. They added runs in the second before AMU got on the board in the third.
 
In the third inning, Abby Love scored on a RBI single by Dariyen Varner. A bases-loaded walk by Angela Cataldo then brought in Paxtoon Hoop to make it 7-2. AMU cut the deficit to three when Michella Davis hit a two-RBI single into right field that scored Varner and Cataldo.
 
Gwinnett responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 13-4. They held that advantage through the fifth to end game one via 8-run rule.
 
Four Gyrenes had hits and scored runs in game one. Davis led AMU with two RBI. Brittany Blizzard took the loss in the circle for the Gyrenes. Aylin Naranjo pitched three innings in relief and allowed two earned runs.
 
In game two, the Grizzlies again struck early with a run in the first inning. They added three in the second and then two in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 8-0 lead after five innings.
 
Kalie Romig, Cataldo, and Morgan Grimm had the three hits AMU recorded in game two. AMU did draw three walks.
 
Brooke Pierron got the start and took the loss in game two. She pitched four innings and allowed six runs. Naranjo pitched the final inning for AMU and allowed two runs.
 
AMU returns to action on Friday when they play at home for the first time this season against Rochester College. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. from the Ave Mara Softball Field.