LAKE WALES, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team played in The Sun Conference Series of the Week on Saturday afternoon, battling the 19th-ranked Warner University Royals. Despite taking a lead in both games, the Gyrenes fell 7-3 and 5-2 to the Royals. Despite the losses, fifth-year outfielder Kalie Romig became Ave Maria's all-time leader in runs scored during game two, scoring her 150th run in the blue and green.

Ave Maria grabbed an early lead in the top of the first inning by manufacturing the first run of the game. Romig led off the game with an infield single, then proceeded to steal second. After a Paxton Hoop bunt moved Romig to third, the centerfielder tied the AMU record for runs scored in a career by scoring on a passed ball.

The game remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning, when the Gyrenes added two more runs to take a 3-0 lead. AMU loaded the bases with one out, thanks to a singles from Kayla Martinez and Morgan Grimm, as well as an error off the bat of Marisa Michi. With two outs, Abby Love reached on an error by the Warner shortstop, which allowed both Michi and Martinez to score. 

Warner took control of the game from there, however, scoring seven unanswered runs with three in the fourth and four in the fifth. In the fourth inning, Warner scored on a fielder's choice from Jennifer Bryant, as well as RBI singles from Madison Ioia and Kasey Heslin. Warner took the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run home run from Breyonna Shell, and added some insurance runs on a single from Heslin and a bases loaded walk to Alison Yawn.

Miriam Padgett led Ave Maria's offensive efforts with two hits, while three Royals (Shell, Kelly Dwyer, and Heslin) did the same. Sarah Shepard got the start for AMU, working three scoreless innings before Warner's offense got on the board. Freshman Alissa Bolinger came in with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, and worked 1.1 perfect innings of relief.

AMU also took the lead in the first inning of game two, this time scoring two runs in the opening frame. Romig reached on an error to lead off the game, then scored her record-breaking 150th career run on a triple from Padgett. Romig's run broke the previous record set by All-American Kingsley Avery, who scored 149 runs from 2013 to 2016. After the Padgett triple, Angela Cataldo made it 2-0 with an RBI single through the left side. 

The Royals answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, evening the score. The hosts put the first two runners of the game on via singles from Yawn and Katelyn Richards, with a bunt moving them to second and third. Warner then tied the game without the aid of a hit on a wild pitch and an RBI groundout from Shell.

Similar to the first game, Warner scored late to pull away from the Gyrenes. Ashton Owen hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Royals the lead for good, and an extra run was added in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Heslin.

Angela Cataldo had two of Ave Maria's four hits in the losing effort, while Padgett and Ashley Nelson each added one. Kassandra Clark tossed a complete game for the Gyrenes, while Tiffany Dodson threw her second complete game of the day to earn the win for Warner.

Next on the schedule for the Gyrenes is their annual northern swing, beginning on Thursday against the Night Hawks of Thomas University. Ave Maria will then take on the Sand Sharks of the University of South Carolina Beaufort, before finishing the roadtrip with a doubleheader against the Trinity Baptist College Eagles on Monday evening.