GULF SHORES, Ala.- The Ave Maria University softball team split their second doubleheader at the Gulf Coast Invitational on Saturday, falling to No. 6 Columbia College 7-2 before blowing out Faulkner University, 10-1, in the nightcap. The loss to Columbia ended Ave Maria's 14 game winning streak, but the Gyrenes moved to 17-4 on the season with the win over Faulkner, who beat AMU 10-0 in the same event last season.

Columbia did not trail in the first game of the day, scoring the first run of the contest in the bottom of the first. A leadoff single from Carli Buschjost, a bunt single from Kacy Bergfeld, and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out for the Cougars. Allison Keen got the No. 6 team in the nation on the board with a sacrifice fly to center

The Cougars increased their lead in the third inning with a two-spot. Samantha Myers led off with a single to third base, and moved over to second on a bunt. A flyball into the gap from Bergfeld scored Myers, and the Cougars' second sacrifice fly of the game, this one from Mackenzie Kasarda, increased the Columbia lead to 3-0.

A clutch two-out hit allowed the Gyrenes to pull within one run in the top of the fifth. Tatum Slate drew a leadoff walk, and was then lifted for pinch runner Sydney Rogowski. After an error and a groundout put runners on second and third with two outs, Miriam Padgett came through with a single up the middle, cutting the Columbia lead to 3-2.

Three runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth allowed Columbia to pull away from the Gyrenes. A Buschjost sacrifice fly and a two-run homer from Kasarda provided the scoring in the fifth, while a single from Avgustina Arbova that scored pinch runner Bailley Boyer concluded the scoring. 

After falling to Columbia, the Gyrenes immediately got back on a roll against Faulkner, starting with a run in the first. Kalie Romig led off with a walk, then stole second and moved to third on a bunt from Padgett. The senior scored on a groundout from Angela Cataldo.

The Gyrenes broke the game wide open in the second, and saw some school history made in the process. Mariah Melendez started the action with a single, and proceeded to steal second. After a walk to Christina Cataldo, Paxton Hoop made it 2-0 on a single. Romig would follow with an RBI single of her own. With runners on first and third, Romig stole second base, marking the 115th steal of her prolific career. The steal broke the career record set by former All-American Kingsley Avery.

The scoring would continue after a walk to Padgett, as Angela Cataldo popped up to second but earned a sacrifice fly when Hoop scored from third. Kayla Martinez would make it 6-0 on a two-run single that would score both Romig and Padgett.

After Faulkner scored their only run in the top half on an error, the Gyrenes responded with four more runs, which would eventually enact the NAIA run rule. Hoop drove in the first run of the inning on a fielder's choice, and Romig followed with her 14th RBI of the season on a single to center. Angela Cataldo finished the scoring on a two-run single.

Kassandra Clark continued her phenomenal start to the 2020 season with a complete game, which saw the freshman allowed just one unearned run on three hits. Clark moved to 9-1 on the season after five strong innings in the circle. At the plate, Cataldo drove in four runs, while Romig and Martinez each supplied two hits and two runs batted in.

AMU's showing in the Gulf Coast Invitational, which is guaranteed to end with a winning record, concludes on Sunday morning. The Gyrenes will face Bethel University, with first pitch scheduled for 9:00 a.m. central time.