AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team earned their 14th and 15th wins of the 2024 season on Thursday, claiming victories of 3-1 and 9-1 over Alverno College from Wisconsin, an NCAA Division III program. The Gyrenes allowed just four hits in 12 innings on Thursday, powered by dominant performances from Maya Gonzalez and Kaedyn Sutton.

Alverno grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Gyrenes took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom half of the frame. Ashley Lykins led off with a single, then moved to second base with a steal. The Gyrenes then got back-to-back extra base hits - a triple from Marisa Michi and a double from Annabella Phillips, to put Ave Maria on top.

After a busy first inning, neither team claimed a hit until the sixth inning. On the Ave Maria side, the game turned into the Maya Gonzalez show. The sophomore recorded one of her best outings in a year-plus in Ave Maria, retiring 18 straight batters at one point, and tossing six straight scoreless innings after the first. The Orlando native struck out a career-high ten hitters, and picked up her third win of the season.

Gonzalez got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to another big hit from Phillips. AMU's run came thanks to an error extending the inning, with Phillips clubbing an RBI double to left field to score pinch runner Genevieve Peterson from first base for what would prove to be the final run of the opener.

In game two, the Gyrenes again started down 1-0, this time taking the lead in the bottom of the third. Ryanne Saluter did all of the work to tie the game in the second, hitting a one-out double before moving to third base on a wild pitch and scoring on an Alverno error. Ave Maria then took the lead in similar fashion in the third, as Ashley Altman walked, stole second, stole third, then scored when the Alverno catcher's throw to third was errant.

Ave Maria broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, increasing their lead to 7-1 with four runs. The Gyrenes' first run came on yet another Alverno error, before a pair of run-scoring hits made it a six run game. Cecilia Garrett drove in her first run of the day with a bunt single to score Saluter, while Annie Nudera added a two-run single, scoring Altman and Garrett.

Two more runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the fifth, ending the contest early. Gonzalez provided the first of these runs with an RBI double to score Lykins, while Peterson ended the game with an RBI groundout that scored Annalise Anderson, who drew a walk earlier in the inning.

Kaedyn Sutton moved to 3-0 on the season with a complete game effort. The sophomore did not allow an earned run over her five innings in the circle, striking out six hitters without surrendering a walk.

A busy week for the Gyrenes concludes on Saturday, when AMU welcomes the Crimson Wave of Calumet to the AMU Softball Complex. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.