AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team wrapped up the number four seed in next week's Sun Conference Tournament, as the Gyrenes split their doubleheader with the Warner University Royals Friday afternoon at the AMU Softball Field. Ave Maria walked off in the opener, 3-2, ensuring fourth in the SUN, and Warner kept their tournament hopes alive with a 5-0 win in the nightcap.
Ave Maria struck first with a two-out hit in the bottom of the first. Ryanne Saluter led off Ave Maria's offensive efforts by drawing a walk. After two straight hitters popped out to leave Saluter on first, Morgan Grimm skied a double to left field to score the AMU leadoff hitter from first, giving AMU the early lead.
The Royals tied the score with a run in the top of third, but another two-out hit put Ave Maria back on top. In the bottom of the fourth, Grimm was hit by a pitch, and pinch runner Alexis Lendo stole second. After two outs were recorded, Lendo took third on a wild pitch, Maggie Hampton drew a walk, and pinch hitter Trinity Duran blooped a single down the right field line to score Lendo from third and give the lead back to the Gyrenes, 2-1.
A Warner run in the top of the seventh tied the game once again, but the Gyrenes found a way to walk it off in the bottom half. With one out, Cecilia Garrett singled to left field. Ryanne Saluter then followed with a single to right center, putting runners on first and third. Marisa Michi lived up to her clutch reputation, logging her third seventh-inning winner of the season with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Garrett from third.
Alissa Bolinger continued her stretch of dominance, earning her 16th win of the season with yet another complete game. At the plate, Saluter reached base in three of her four plate appearances, as the sophomore had two singles and drew a walk, and added a stolen base as well.
Warner controlled game two from the start, as the Royals scored three runs in the top of the first inning on run-scoring doubles from Ashton Owen and Jordan Moore. The game remained 3-0 until the fifth inning, when the Royals added their fourth run of the day on an Owen sacrifice fly. A wild pitch in the top of the sixth concluded the day's scoring.
Miriam Padgett was the top Gyrene in the nightcap, accounting for two of Ave Maria's other three hits and stealing three bases. The other single came from senior Morgan Grimm, while Ashley Nelson reached base on a walk and Gracie Lopez stole a base as a pinch runner. Kassandra Clark went the distance in the circle for AMU, striking out three hitters over her seven innings in the circle.
For Ave Maria, Saturday was the final consequential day of the season, as the Gyrenes are locked into their Sun Conference Tournament seed and opponent, the fifth-seeded Thomas University Night Hawks. Warner, on the other hand, will need a win or a USCB loss on the final day of the season to qualify for the postseason. The final game of the regular season is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Saturday, with Senior Day festivities scheduled for 2:45 p.m.
