WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team pulled off an improbable comeback on Friday, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh to stun the Keiser University Seahawks, 4-3, in West Palm Beach. The Gyrenes were down to their last out in the seventh, but scored three runs with two outs in the seventh to shock the host Seahawks and move to 2-2 in Sun Conference play.
Keiser kept the Gyrenes off the board for the first six innings on Saturday, and held a 3-0 lead going to the seventh thanks to a run in the second and two more in the third. The Seahawks scored an unearned run in the second on an RBI single from Alex Perez, then added two runs in the third on a two-run single from Kelsie Merriman, which came with two outs in the inning.
Ave Maria's rally in the bottom of the seventh started with a gift, as Hailee Howe reached on a Keiser error. AMU then loaded the bases, as Karsyn Moore singled and Maggie Hampton was hit by a pitch. A fielder's choice saw Howe forced out at the plate, keeping the bases loaded with one out. Annie Nudera put the Gyrenes on the board with an RBI single, but Keiser got an out on the play to put runners on first and second with two outs.
With two outs, Ryanne Saluter stepped to the plate and drilled a single to left field, scoring Garrett from second. A throwing error from the Seahawks then allowed Nudera to score as well, and moved Saluter up to second. The game's decisive hit was provided by Marisa Michi, who continued her legacy of big hits at Ave Maria with an RBI single to right, scoring Saluter to give AMU a 4-3 lead.
Kaedyn Sutton finished off a complete game in the seventh inning, stranding the tying run on third base with a strikeout to end the game. Sutton picked up her eighth win of the season with another quality outing, as the freshman allowed just two earned runs over her seven innings of work, striking out three Keiser hitters in the process.
Karsyn Moore was the lone Gyrene with two hits in the victory, as the freshman logged two singles and a run scored in her three at-bats. Nudera, Saluter, and Michi all added their RBI singles in the seventh, while Ashley Nelson was responsible for AMU's sixth hit. Nudera, Saluter, and Nelson all reached base twice with a single and a walk, while Maggie Hampton was on base twice thanks to two hit by pitches.
The Gyrenes will look for their first conference series win of the season on Saturday, when the two teams battle in a doubleheader in West Palm Beach. First pitch from Keiser University is scheduled for noon.
