AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team claimed their first Sun Conference series of the season on Monday afternoon, taking the rubber match of a three-game series from the Keiser University Seahawks, 2-1, at the AMU Softball Field. The combined pitching efforts of Alissa Bolinger and Kassandra Clark were enough to give the Gyrenes, who allowed just three runs over the three games, the crucial win in the series finale.

Alissa Bolinger made her second start in as many days for the Gyrenes, and showed why she currently ranks in the top five in The Sun Conference in both wins and earned run average. The sophomore pitched the first four innings of the game on Monday, giving up just one run on a pair of singles. After eventually picking up the win, Bolinger moved to 8-4 overall on the season, and Ave Maria as a team moved to 8-2 when Bolinger is the starting pitcher.

After two and a half scoreless innings, Ave Maria broke through with a run in the bottom of the third. Miriam Padgett started the inning with a single, and the speedster then stole second base to get herself into scoring position. The next hitter, Marisa Michi, singled through the left side to score Padgett from second as the leadoff hitter beat the throw home, which also allowed Michi to take second. 

Keiser tied the score with a run of their own in the top of the fourth, but Ave Maria scored what would prove to be the winning run in the bottom half of the frame. AMU loaded the bases on an Ashley Nelson double, a hit by pitch drawn by Maggie Hampton, and a single from Katelynn Sebastiani. With one out, Padgett drilled a single to left field, scoring pinch runner Alexis Lendo for the go-ahead run.  

Kassandra Clark entered the game in the top of the fifth inning, and needed to toss three scoreless innings to secure Ave Maria's series win. The junior did just that, completing ten consecutive scoreless innings in a conference series win. Clark struck out three Keiser hitters, and allowed just two singles.

The top two hitters in the Ave Maria offense did much of the damage on Monday, as Padgett and Michi combined for five of AMU's eight hits, as well as both runs batted in. The Gyrenes also stepped up defensively, as Ryanne Saluter threw out a potential run at the plate in the fourth inning, while catcher Elena Dybiec caught Alex Perez stealing third in the sixth. 

Ave Maria returns home on Wednesday for what will be their final regular season non-conference games of the 2022 season. The Gyrenes welcome Florida National University to Ave Maria for a doubleheader, with first pitch at the AMU Softball Field scheduled for noon.