AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team ended the 2023 season on a high note on Saturday, taking the season finale from the No. 17 Southeastern University Fire at the AMU Softball Complex. After falling 6-1 in the opener, the Gyrenes scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to end the season with a 7-6 victory over a Fire team that was in the NAIA World Series last year.

In game one, the Fire jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a trio of big hits. Southeastern scored on back-to-back doubles in the top of the first, with Leah Gonzalez's double driving in Erica Stahl. The Fire lead balooned to three runs in the third, when Stahl belted a two-run homer.

Ave Maria's lone run in the opener came in the bottom of the third, and was also thanks to an extra base hit. Annie Nudera led off the inning with a single, but was replaced on first base by Marisa Michi on a fielder's choice with one out. Down to their final out of the inning, the Gyrenes got on the board when Ryanne Saluter clubbed an RBI double to left center, scoring Michi from first.

Southeastern wouldn't allow another run to the Gyrenes in Saturday's first game, and would score three more to put AMU away. The Fire answered AMU's third inning run with two in the top of the fourth, with both scoring thanks to a bunt and an error from AMU. The Fire also used some small ball to score their final run, as SEU plated their sixth run on a first and third play in the top of the fifth. 

At the plate, Ave Maria's juniors took a leading role on Senior Day, accounting for six of the team's seven hits. The effort was led by three hits from Annie Nudera, including a triple, and two hits from Saluter, including her RBI double. A bright spot in the circle was Ashley Altman, who posted her best outing of the season with just one earned run allowed over her 3.2 innings of work.

Game two of the doubleheader was a wild affair, with momentum in the contest trading hands several times. The teams started the scoring by trading runs in the second. SEU took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Chapel Cunningham, and the Gyrenes answered with an RBI double from Ashley Nelson.

SEU went back ahead with two runs in the top of the third, but the Gyrenes then answered with runs in three straight innings to claim their first lead of the weekend. Nelson added her second RBI of the day with a single in the bottom of the third, cutting the Fire lead to one run. The Gyrenes then tied the game on an RBI single from Nudera in the fourth, and took their first lead thanks to an RBI single from Altman in the fifth. 

The Fire did not roll over, though, and reclaimed the lead with two runs in the sixth, and extended the edge with another run in the seventh, setting up Ave Maria heroics in the bottom of the seventh. 

Trailing by two runs, the Gyrenes put two runners on base via walks to Nelson and Altman, who stood on first and third with two outs. Kylee Lewis then gave the Gyrenes life with a bloop single to left, scoring Nelson to make it a one run game. Nudera then loaded the bases, reaching on Southeastern's second error. With the bases loaded, Cecilia Garrett hit a grounder that the Fire couldn't corral, allowing Altman and pinchrunner Annalise Anderson to score the winning runs.

AMU's juniors again carried the load in game two, led by three hits from Nelson and two each from Nudera, Saluter, and Lewis. Nelson was also the winning pitcher for Ave Maria, tossing the final four innings in relief of starter Kaedyn Sutton, who allowed just one earned run over three innings.

As evidenced by the standout juniors on Saturday, the Gyrenes have reason for optimism heading into 2024. Ave Maria will return their top seven players in hits and their top three players in innings pitched for the second season under head coach Juliaclare Plezbert.