AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team split their doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, winning the nightcap against the visiting RedHawks of Martin Methodist College. Martin Methodist won the opener, 7-2, but the Gyrenes answered with an 8-4 win in the second game, dealing the RedHawks their first loss after a 3-0 start to the season in Florida.

Both teams scored a run in the first inning of the opening game. Martin Methodist plated one with two outs in the top of the first, as Keaton Barnes drove in Chloe Clavon with a single. AMU answered with an RBI single of their own. Miriam Padgett reached on a bunt single, and moved around the bases to scored on a single, a fielder's choice, and a run-scoring single by Angela Cataldo.

Each of the next six runs came from the RedHawks, who opened up a 7-1 lead with one in the third, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth. Barnes provided the run in the third inning, giving Martin Methodist a 2-1 with an RBI single. In the fourth, runs were scored on a Hannah Ward single, a Shayla Youngblood sacrifice, and another single from Clavon. MMC's final two runs of the day scored on RBI singles from Shelby Clifton and Courtney McFarlen in the fifth.

One run did cross the plate for Ave Maria in the seventh inning to finish the scoring. Aylin Naranjo started the inning with a double, and moved to third on a single from Kalie Romig. With two outs, AMU got their final run of the opener on an RBI single from Dariyen Varner.

In game two, Martin Methodist jumped out to a 2-0 lead with one run in the first and another in the third. Youngblood started the nightcap with a single, and moved around the bases on a hit by pitch and two wild pitches. In the third inning, Youngblood again scored following a leadoff single, coming home on a single from Samantha King. 

Ave Maria's bats came alive in the bottom of the third inning, as a six-spot gave the Gyrenes the lead for good. Mia Gallegos started the frame with a single, and moved to third on a double from Cataldo. Kayla Martinez tied the game at two on a double, and then gave AMU the lead by scoring on a single from Varner. After a single by Mariah Melendez, Morgan Grimm added to the scoring with an RBI single. The final two runs of the inning were scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Romig and an ensuing error.

The Gyrenes continued to hit in the bottom of the fourth, scoring two more runs to increase their lead to 8-2. Martinez smashed a triple to right field, then scored when Varner followed suit with a triple of her own. The six-run lead was made complete after a Melendez single scored Varner from third.

Martin Methodist rallied for two runs - one each in the final two innings - but could not close the gap on the host Gyrenes. Kassandra Clark earned the win in the circle for Ave Maria, pitching the complete game. At the plate, Martinez, Varner, Melendez, and Grimm all had two hits, while Martinez and Varner both scored two runs and drove two more in.

AMU's next NAIA contest comes next Saturday in a neutral site affair against Point Park University. The games will be played in Clermont, Florida as part of the PFX Spring Games. Ave Maria swept the Pioneers last season with victories of 6-2 and 2-1. First pitch in Clermont is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.