JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team led 3-0 after five innings on Tuesday, but could not complete a three-game sweep of their stay in Jacksonville, falling 5-4 in eight innings to the Tigers of Edward Waters University. The Gyrenes scored one run in their half of extra innings, but surrendered two to the Tigers to take their second walkoff defeat of the year.

After three scoreless innings of softball, the Gyrenes finally broke through in the top of the fourth. Marisa Michi led off by reaching on an error, putting the sophomore on second base. Michi was lifted for pinchrunner Gracie Lopez, who scored when Morgan Grimm singled to left field. 

Ave Maria added two more runs in the top of the fifth. Katelynn Sebastiani singled, and stole second with one out in the frame. A single from Miriam Padgett made it 2-0 Gyrenes, and Padgett moved into scoring position with a steal. Maggie Hampton then added an RBI single, bringing Padgett home from second with the aid of an error. 

Edward Waters rallied with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, which would eventually force extra innings. J. Mention plated the first run for the Tigers with an RBI single to left field, and B. Rice added a two-run single to even the score at three. In the eighth inning, Ave Maria got a run in the top half from Ryanne Saluter, but Edward Waters scored two runs on wild pitches in the bottom half to walk it off.

Aylin Naranjo pitched well for the Gyrenes in a starting role, working four scoreless innings before running into trouble in the fifth. At the plate, Morgan Grimm had two hits just outside of her hometown of Fleming Island. Six other Gyrenes all had one hit. 

AMU has Wednesday off before returning to the field Thursday for the first two of their eight games at the PFX Spring Games in Kissimmee. The Gyrenes' first two opponents will be Calumet College of St. Joseph and the University of Michigan Dearborn, which will come Thursday afternoon.