AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team could not get their bats going on Tuesday, and fell victim to two big innings in a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Warner University Royals at the AMU Softball Complex. The loss, which came in the opener of a three-game series between the teams, dropped Ave Maria to 5-5 in Sun Conference play.
Starting pitchers Madalyn Morton and Kaedyn Sutton traded three scoreless innings before Warner broke the game open in the top of the fourth. The Royals opened the scoring with an RBI single from April Dominguez, the loaded the bases with two more singles to force a pitching change. Two more runs scored on a walk and a wild pitch, and Jordan Moore brought in the fourth Warner run with an RBI groundout.
Warner then added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to further seal their win. Dominguez added her second RBI of the afternoon with an RBI groundout that scored Alyson Becker. The final run of the day was then provided by Samantha Berube, who singled to center field with two outs in the inning.
Ave Maria logged three hits in the losing effort, two of which went for extra bases. Hailee Howe broke up Morton's no-hitter in the fourth with a double to deep center, and Maya Gonzalez added a double of her own to left center field in the bottom of the fifth. The final hit of the day was provided by Ryanne Saluter, who singled up the middle in the bottom of the seventh.
Perhaps the game's brightest spot was the pitching of junior Ashley Nelson. The North Port, Florida native came on with the bases loaded in the fourth, and recorded the final two outs of the inning before working spotless frames in the fifth and sixth. Nelson finished the day with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, with all eight outs coming on the ground. She also did not walk a batter during her time in the circle.
AMU will need a short memory, as the Gyrenes will return to the field less than 24 hours later for the final two games of the series. Ave Maria will look to take the momentum in the series back in the opening game at 1:00 p.m., with either the rubber match or Warner's chance at a sweep scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the AMU Softball Complex.
