AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team pounded out 14 hits over two games on Friday, but couldn't overcome the current Sun Conference leaders at the AMU Softball Complex, falling twice to the Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia. Coastal Georgia won a squeaker in the opener, 2-1, before pulling away for a 10-0 win in the second game of the day.
Coastal Georgia never trailed in the opener, despite only getting two runs across. The Mariners took a 1-0 lead just three hitters into the game, as Bryce Peacock bounced a single up the middle to score Sarah Thinger, who had drawn a leadoff walk to start the contest. Peacock's walk would prove to be the only run for the first six innings, before both teams plated a run in the seventh.
The Mariners added another RBI single to take a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh, where the Gyrenes were able to make it interesting. Hailee Howe led off with a double, and a walk to Brooke Angerer put the tying run on base.
After a double play kept Howe on second, but put two outs on the board, Kylee Lewis lined a double to right center, scoring Howe and again putting the tying run on base. A bunt single from Cecilia Garrett put the winning run on as well, but the Mariners were able to get the final out to escape with the win.
Ave Maria's near upset of the Mariners in the opener was thanks to a spectacular outing from senior Kassandra Clark. Pitching on her home field for the first time in 357 days, Clark did everything she could to give AMU a chance to win. The Maryland native struck out six hitters over her seven innings in the circle, and scattered six hits against a powerful Coastal Georgia lineup.
Marisa Michi was the lone Gyrene to log two hits in the first game of the doubleheader, nearly homering in her first at-bat, a double, before adding a single later in the contest. Lewis also reached base twice, adding a walk to her RBI double in the seventh.
CCGA rolled in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring four runs in the second inning to take a lead they would never relinquish. The Mariners would add another run in the fourth inning, and nearly ended the game early with two more runs in the fifth, extending their lead to 7-0. Coastal Georgia concluded their scoring in the top of the seventh, pushing three runs across the plate to finish their ten-run output.
Despite being kept off the scoreboard, Ave Maria did rack up eight hits in the nightcap. Lewis continued one of her best offensive days of the season with two more hits, while Ashley Nelson added a pair of singles. Michi reached base twice for the second game in a row, recording a single and drawing a walk.
AMU will have another shot at disrupting Coastal Georgia's conference championship hopes on Saturday, when the series concludes. First pitch of the series finale is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the AMU Softball Complex.
