AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team opened the 2020 season on Wednesday afternoon with a pair of games against Florida National University. The Gyrenes dropped the opener 6-3 before suffering an 8-1 defeat in the nightcap.

The Gyrenes struck first in their season opener, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. Kalie Romig led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, and the senior proceeded to steal second. Dariyen Varner laid down a bunt, and the errant throw from the third baseman allowed Romig to score the first run of the day.

Ave Maria added two more runs in the second inning with the aid of just one hit. Brittany Blizzard started the action with a one-out single, and a hit by pitch by Abby Love put runners on first and second. Morgan Grimm then reached on an error, which allowed Blizzard to score from second. Paxton Hoop then drove in a third run with a bunt, which scored Love from third.

After five scoreless innings worked by AMU started Sarah Shepard, Florida National took the lead for good with six runs in the top of the sixth. An RBI single from Nini Underwood got the Conquistadors on the board, and a two-run double from Valerie Ramano tied the game at three. Florida National took the lead on an RBI groundout from Madison Bradshaw, and a pair of run-scoring errors allowed FNU to score two insurance runs.

Game two saw Florida National score the game's first five runs to run away from the Gyrenes, despite a 9-8 edge for AMU in hits. FNU scored first, as a two-out error allowed Underwood to score after a pair of stolen bases. Florida National added four runs in the second inning, scoring on two wild pitches and a two-run triple from Gabryella Hay.

The lone run of the second game for Ave Maria was plated in the bottom of the fourth. Love set a new school record by logging her 22nd hit by pitch of her career, and moved to second base on a single from Kayla Martinez. Blizzard drove Love in with a single up the middle, cutting the FNU lead to 5-1. 

FNU extended the lead with two runs in the sixth inning and one more in the seventh. RBI singles from Makayla Peralta and Underwood provided the runs in the sixth inning, while the final of AMU's six errors was responsible for the run in the top of the seventh.

Three Gyrenes logged multiple hits in the nightcap, as Blizzard, Martinez, and Miriam Padgett all had two hits. Blizzard also excelled in the circle for Ave Maria, working 5.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Hay pitched the entire game for FNU, allowing just one run while scattering nine hits.

AMU's next game comes on Saturday, as the Tigers of Edward Waters College come to the AMU Softball Field. The Gyrenes and Tigers split a doubleheader in Jacksonville last season. First pitch in Ave Maria is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.