AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team completed their 2019 season on Saturday afternoon, dropping a pair of games to the visiting Southeastern Fire, 3-0 and 7-5. In between the games of the doubleheader, the AMU softball program honored the five members of the Class of 2019, all of whom will graduate from Ave Maria next Saturday.

After three scoreless innings, the Fire finally broke the ice in the top of the fourth inning. Heather Faulk doubled to start the frame, and moved to third on a Gyrene error. Whittney Purdy then drove in the first run of the game with a single to center field. An error also allowed Southeastern to score in the top of the fifth, as pinch runner Jaz Szierer scored on a miscue off the bat of Sam Holcomb.

Southeastern completed the scoring for game one in the top of the seventh. The Fire loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, and scored the run on an RBI single from Holcomb. AMU starter Brittany Blizzard would leave the bases loaded from there, getting a fielder's choice, a popout, and a groundout to shortstop.

Angela Cataldo provided Ave Maria's lone hit in the first game, a bloop single in the bottom of the first. Despite taking the loss, Blizzard pitched very well for the Gyrenes, allowing just one earned run in a complete game. Hannah Bodenhorn got the win for the Fire, striking out eleven hitters in a complete game shutout.

In game two, the Gyrenes struck first in the bottom of the opening inning. Kalie Romig led off the inning with a single, and moved to third base with a steal and a Southeastern error. The Gyrene leadoff hitter would then score on a sacrifice fly from Cataldo, as Romig was ruled safe at the plate due to catcher's obstruction.

The Fire got that run back in the top of the third, tying the game at one. Hannah Bonner singled to start the inning, but remained there with two outs. Southeastern then put together a two-out rally, as singles from Holcomb and Haleigh Harrell brought Bonner home for the game-tying run. 

AMU manufactued a run in the bottom of the fourth, retaking the lead. Morgan Grimm singled to center field on a 3-2 pitch, and was bunted over to second by Paxton Hoop. With one out, Michella Davis drove in her 36th run of the season, scoring Grimm from second base on a single to left field and giving AMU a 2-1 lead.

Saturday's second game swung towards Southeastern in the top of the fifth, as the Fire plated two runs to take a 3-2 lead. Moll singled to start the inning, but did not advance until Harrell tripled with two outs to tie the game. The Fire then grabbed their first lead on an RBI single from Ave Maria graduate Cheyenne Benson-Ross, who played for the Gyrenes from 2012-2015.

Three more runs scored for the Fire in the top of the sixth inning, all coming home on one swing of the bat. After loading the bases on two singles and an error, Holcomb cleared bases on a triple to right field, extending Southeastern's lead to 6-2. The Fire also added a run in the seventh on a Bonner single to complete their end of the scoring.

Ave Maria tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring three runs and bringing the tying run to the plate. With two outs and runners on first and second, Dariyen Varner blasted a triple to left field, scoring Jessica Chavez and Romig. Angela Cataldo then drove Varner in with a single to pull AMU within two runs, but the Gyrenes could not come any closer.

The Ave Maria season ends with 20 wins, the seventh consecutive season where the Gyrenes have won at least 20 games.