JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team earned their first doubleheader sweep of the 2022 season, taking two games from the Trinity Baptist College Eagles in Jacksonville on Monday night. The Gyrenes dominated in a 9-0 victory in the opener, then erased a six-run deficit to claim a 9-8 victory in the nightcap.
Ave Maria took control of the opening game in the top of the second inning, jumping out to a 4-0 lead. The Gyrenes loaded the bases on two walks and an Annie Nudera single, then scored an initial run on a bases loaded walk to Kylee Lewis. Miriam Padgett and Maggie Hampton added consecutive RBI singles to extend the AMU lead.
The Gyrenes added to their lead in the third inning, as Alexis Lendo started the frame with a leadoff double. The freshman moved to third base on a grounder from Elena Dybiec, then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryanne Saluter.
Four more runs crossed the plate in top of the fourth, which eventually ended the game after five innings due to the run rule. Katelynn Sebastiani accounted for the first run, reaching on a single, then coming around on a groundout, an error, and a double steal. Another error added an AMU run, and an Ashley Nelson double extended the Gyrene lead to 8-0. The final run was plated by Saluter, who drew a bases loaded walk.
Alissa Bolinger was dominant against the Eagles, tossing five shutout innings in a complete game victory. The sophomore allowed just two singles to the hosts, and struck out nine hitters. She needed just 54 pitches to get through the outing.
In game two, the Gyrenes found themselves in a 5-0 hole in the second inning. The only hit of the inning for the Eagles was a solo home run from Hopkins. Trinity Baptist drew four walks and a hit by pitch, putting five runs on the board.
One swing of the bat got Ave Maria on the board in the top of the fifth inning. With Annie Nudera on second and two outs, Marisa Michi unleashed a two-run homer, cutting the TBC lead to 5-2. The Eagles, though, responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, and led 8-2 heading into the sixth.
AMU's biggest rally of the season started with a solo home run from Kylee Lewis, her second of her collegiate career. The Gyrenes loaded the bases on two walks and a fielder's choice, and cut the TBC lead to 8-5 on a hit by pitch drawn by Ashlyn Wilkes and a walk to Nudera. Gracie Lopez singled to score two runs and get the Gyrenes within one, 8-7. Morgan Grimm drove in a run with a single to even the score at eight, and Trinity Duran provided the go-ahead RBI with a bases loaded walk.
Kassandra Clark pitched six innings to earn the win for the Gyrenes. The junior struck out eleven Trinity Baptist hitters, two shy of her own AMU record, which also came against Trinity Baptist back in the 2020 season.
The Gyrenes remain in Jacksonville for a game on Tuesday, which will see Ave Maria battle Edward Waters University. First pitch at Edward Waters is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
