AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team could not get the bats going on Thursday afternoon, falling in a pair of games to the Night Hawks of Thomas University at the AMU Softball Field. The Gyrenes fell 4-1 in the opener, then lost 2-1 in the nightcap despite outhitting the Night Hawks, 7-4.
One swing of the bat gave the Night Hawks a lead they would not relinquish in the top of the first inning. The first two hitters of the game, Averie Sheppard and Holly Campbell, reached on a walk and a single, but Sheppard was thrown out by Paxton Hoop trying to steal third. With Campbell on second, Corryne Diaz hit a two-run homer over the right field fence, giving a Thomas an early lead of two runs.
Ave Maria got a run back with the aid of an error in the bottom of the third. With one out, Kalie Romig reached on an infield single, then moved around to third on an errant throw. The next hitter was Hoop, who laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to score the fifth-year senior Romig from third.
That run would be it for the Gyrenes, while Thomas would add insurance runs in the fourth and seventh frames. In the fourth inning, Jaelynn Vialpando led off with a single, and pinch runner Cheyann Blackmon stole second and advanced to third before scoring on an RBI groundout from Rebecca Dorsett. The run in the seventh inning was plated by Alexus Johnson, who singled with the bases loaded to score Diaz.
Sarah Shepard kept AMU in the game for the majority of the contest, working all seven innings in the circle with just one walk. At the plate, Ave Maria's three hits were provided by Romig, Morgan Grimm, and Miriam Padgett.
In game two, the first four innings were a pitcher's duel between Ashley Nelson and Larran Carter. Nelson, in her first career start, allowed just one hit over her first four innings of work. Carter came in following an injury to the TU starter, and worked out of bases loaded jams in the first and second innings to keep Ave Maria off the board.
Thomas finally broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning, scoring a pair of unearned runs. The first run was plated on a Gyrene error with two outs in the frame, allowing Johnson to score from third. Another run crossed the plate on an RBI double from Campbell, which plated Hailie Stewart.
AMU's lone run crossed the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Marisa Michi led off with a single, and was lifted for pinch runner Annie Nudera. With one out, a single from Grimm put runners on the corners. Aylin Naranjo then drove in Nudera with a sacrifice fly, but Grimm was thrown out at second to end the inning.
Nelson was outstanding in her first career start, allowing two unearned runs on four hits in a complete game. Grimm and Hoop were the offensive standouts in the loss, with both juniors logging two hit performances.
The Gyrenes return to the field on Saturday, playing two games with the Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia. First pitch in the conference home finale is scheduled for noon, with the nightcap following at 2 p.m.
