AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team secured their third conference series win this season, thanks to a doubleheader sweep of the Thomas University Night Hawks Friday afternoon at the AMU Softball Field. Alissa Bolinger and Ashley Nelson combined to shut out the Night Hawks over 14 innings of play, and the Gyrenes did enough offensively to move Ave Maria to 7-4 on the season in Sun Conference play.

Ave Maria started the scoring in the bottom of the first of the opener, which would be the only run scored in game one until the bottom of the sixth. Ryanne Saluter singled to lead off the frame, then moved to second when Nelson drew a walk. After a single by Morgan Grimm loaded the bases, AMU took the 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly to right field from Elena Dybiec.

That lead lasted until the bottom of the sixth inning, when three more Ave Maria runs essentially put the game away. Annie Nudera drew a walk, and pinch runner Alexis Lendo moved around to third on a stolen base and a bunt single from Miriam Padgett. After Padgett stole second, Maggie Hampton drilled a two-run triple into the right center field gap. Hampton scored the final run of the game on an RBI single from Marisa Michi, who joined Grimm and Hampton with two hits in the win. 

Four runs were more than enough for Alissa Bolinger, who tossed a complete game shutout for the fourth time this season. The sophomore struck out seven Thomas hitters to earn her eleventh win of the season, scattering four hits over her seven innings in the circle. 

The only run of the second game crossed the plate in the bottom of the third. Morgan Grimm singled with one out, and a walk to Kylee Lewis put runners on first and second. Dybiec hit a ball to the right side to move the runners to second and third with two outs. Annie Nudera came through with the big hit, a single into left field that scored Grimm from third for what would be the winning run. 

Ashley Nelson got the start in the circle, and was phenomenal in the first five innings of the game. The sophomore worked 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and striking out four. With runners on first and second with one out in the sixth, Bolinger came back in and retired five of the six hitters she faced, running her streak of inning without allowing an earned run to 18.1 to pick up the save. 

The Gyrenes had their chances throughout the game, logging six hits and leaving eight runners on base. Annie Nudera was the lone Gyrene with two hits, adding a triple to her go-ahead single in the third.

AMU has now won five Sun Conference games in a row, and will look for a second consecutive series sweep Saturday afternoon against the Night Hawks. The series finale is scheduled for noon at the AMU Softball Field.