HARDEEVILLE, S.C.- The Ave Maria University softball team snapped USCB's 23-game home winning streak on Saturday evening, dealing the Sand Sharks a 7-4 loss in the nightcap of a doubleheader. The Sand Sharks cruised to a 13-2 win in the opener, but the Gyrenes' victory in the finale ensured a 2-2 split of the season series between the teams.
USCB never trailed in the opening game of the doubleheader, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. After a pair of walks started the inning, Shania Domingue clubbed a double to left field, scoring Taylor Boykin to put the Sand Sharks on the board. A sacrifice fly from Canyon Crosby, a single from Natassja Hatcher, and a bases loaded walk to Emily Martin supplied the other three runs.
The Gyrenes' first run of the day came in the top of the second thanks to a two-out rally. Abby Love started the rally with a single to left field, and Paxton Hoop extended the inning with a walk. With runners on first and second, Dariyen Varner singled, scoring Love from second and cutting the deficit to 4-1. USCB would respond with two of their own in the bottom half, with both runs scoring on a single from Rachel Frankhouser.
AMU's second and final run of the opener scored in the top of the third. The first three hitters of the inning all singled, as hits from Angela Cataldo and Morgan Grimm led to a run-scoring hit by Michella Davis. The Gyrenes would get no more in the third, leaving runners on the corners.
In the bottom of the fourth, USCB turned the game into a blowout with seven runs, which eventually ended the game after five. The Sand Sharks' biggest hits of the inning were a two-run double from Domingue and a two-run single from Boykin. Singles from Martin and Martinez, as well as a wild pitch, accounted for the other three runs.
Game two saw the Gyrenes take the early lead with two runs in the top of the first. Kalie Romig led off the game with a single, and moved to second on a groundout. After a walk to Davis, Romig scored from second on a sacrifice fly from Grimm. A two-out single from Emma Thompson allowed Davis to score after she moved up to third on a passed ball.
Two runs in the bottom of the second allowed USCB to tie the game. Both runs scored with two outs in the frame, as USCB put runners on second and third thanks to singles by Kaitlyn O'Hearn and Frankhouser. Both runners were driven in by Martin, who doubled down the left field line to even the score at two.
Ave took the lead for good in the top of the third with another two-spot. A Romig single and an error off the bat of Cataldo put runners on second and third with no outs. After a flyout kept the runners at their bases, consecutive singles by Grimm and Thompson scored the runners, giving the Gyrenes a lead they would not relinquish.
Varner helped the Gyrenes increase their lead to three runs in the top of the fourth, doubling with one out in the inning and stealing third base. The freshman was driven in by her fellow outfielder Romig, who logged her third hit of the game with a single to third base. USCB cut the lead back to two in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Kayla Boyle.
Ave Maria seemingly put the game away in the top of the sixth, scoring their final two runs of the day. The Gyrenes put runners on second and third with one out thanks to singles from Varner and Cataldo. Hoop drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly to left, and Grimm capped an 8-for-12 weekend with an RBI single to left. USCB got one run back in the bottom of the seventh, but could not rally. The complete game victory in the circle went to Brooke Pierron, who shut down a dangerous Sand Shark lineup.
With the win, Ave Maria dealt just the second loss of the season to USCB's Sloan Ducey, who was tagged for six earned runs by the Gyrenes after allowing just eight in her previous 69 innings of work. The Gyrenes return home on Wednesday for a doubleheader with Keiser University, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
