THOMASVILLE, Ga.- The Ave Maria University softball team continued to have close games go against them on Saturday, falling 3-2 in extra innings to the Thomas University Night Hawks in Thomasville. AMU never led in the contest, but rallied to force extra innings before TU's second walk-off win of the series. The Gyrenes have dropped seven straight games, with four of those seven losses coming by just one run.
Thomas scored in the bottom of the first to open the game's scoring, but Ave Maria quickly answered with a run in the top of the second. AMU's offense started on a single from Marisa Michi, who then moved up to second on a wild pitch. Annalise Anderson moved Michi to third on an error, and Hailee Howe got the Gyrenes on the board with a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the score at one apiece.
After Thomas retook the lead in the bottom of the third, the game remained 2-1 until AMU once again tied it in the top of the sixth. The middle of the AMU order did the damage in the sixth, as Ryanne Saluter led off with a single and Ashley Nelson added a double, putting runners on second and third. Saluter scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, and Nelson moved up to third with zero outs. Unfortunately for the Gyrenes, Nelson would be stranded on third after two strikeouts and a groundout, keeping the game tied.
The seventh inning would pass with no runs scored, sending the game to extra innings for the second time in the series. AMU once again did not score in the top half of the inning, leaving runner Nelson stranded on third after a flyout, a sacrifice bunt, and another flyout. Thomas cashed in in their half of the inning, as Holly Campbell singled after a groundout and a walk, giving the Night Hawks the series sweep.
Pitchers Kaedyn Sutton and Maya Gonzalez gave the Gyrenes a chance to win in the circle, combining to allow just two earned runs over eight innings of work. Ashley Nelson was AMU's top player offensively, going 2-for-4 with a single and a double. Annalise Anderson, Michi, and Saluter were responsible for Ave Maria's other three hits in the losing effort.
Ave Maria will get Easter week off, and will come back after the holiday for the final nine games of the Sun Conference season. The first three of those nine games comes on the road, with the other six coming at the AMU Softball Complex. Ave Maria will travel to Babson Park for a meeting with the Webber International University Warriors April 14-15, with a solo game scheduled for Friday and a doubleheader slated for Saturday.
