VIERA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team split their first pair of contests at the Space Coast Spring Games, defeating Huntington University, 4-3, before falling to the University of Michigan Dearborn by a 6-3 score. The games were held at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Viera, and started a string of 12 games for the Gyrenes over the next eight days on the Space Coast.

The Gyrenes scored first in their first game in Viera, taking a 1-0 lead on Huntington in the top of the first. Annie Nudera led off the bottom of the first with a walk, and moved around to third on a wild pitch and a flyout. With one out, Marisa Michi scorched a grounder to the second baseman, who was playing in and couldn't react fast enough. Nudera scored from third, putting Ave Maria on the board.

Huntington scored an unearned run in the second inning, and the game remained tied at one until the bottom of the fourth, when a two-out rally pushed the Gyrenes back ahead. Ashley Nelson singled with two outs, and Kylee Lewis followed with a walk. With two runners on, Maggie Hampton clubbed a double to right-center, scoring Nelson from second and giving AMU a 2-1 lead that would hold until the seventh inning. 

With one out in the seventh, a walk followed by a triple tied the game for the Forresters, and put the tying run on third. Nelson came on to pitch, and got the Gyrenes out of the inning with a strikeout and a groundout sandwiched around a walk. 

In extra innings, Huntington scored once in the top of the eighth, thanks to a pair of sacrifices - one bunt and one fly. In the bottom half of the frame, AMU started with Michi on second. Maya Gonzalez then put down a picture-perfect bunt for a single, putting runners on the corners. Gonzalez then stole second, giving AMU runners on second and third with one out. Hailee Howe ended it for the Gyrenes with a liner to right that evaded all fielders, scoring both runners for a walk-off win. 

Six of Ave Maria's nine starting hitters recorded at least one hit, and eight of the nine reached base at least once. Kaedyn Sutton pitched the first 6.1 innings for the Gyrenes, allowing just one earned run with four strikeouts. Nelson got the final five outs, earning the win for her efforts.

Game two was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, despite several Gyrene chances to open the scoring. Ave Maria loaded the bases in the first inning, but could not get on the board before a home run gave UM Dearborn a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Ave Maria got that run back in the top of the sixth. Gonzalez led off the frame with a double, and Howe followed her by being hit by a pitch with one out. A daring double steal moved the runners to second and third with one out, and Kayla Martinez hit a fly ball just deep enough to score Gonzalez from third and tie the score at one. 

Two Gyrene errors helped Dearborn break open the game in the bottom of the sixth, as the Wolverines took a 6-1 lead. The Gyrenes tried to threaten in the top of the seventh, bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle. AMU's two runs in the seventh were provided by a Dearborn error and a sacrifice bunt from Michi. 

Ryanne Saluter and Maggie Hampton led the Gyrenes in the nightcap, combining for five of Ave Maria's eight hits. Saluter went 3-for-4, while Hampton added two hits and a stolen base.

Round two between the Gyrenes and Wolverines is set for Wednesday in Viera, with first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Ave Maria will then face the University of Fort Lauderdale for the third time this season, with the rubber match of the series scheduled for 4:00 p.m.